Additional Coverage:
- Child safety nonprofit founded by Tom Steyer’s brother has multiple Epstein ties: ‘No concerns’ (foxnews.com)
Concerns Raised Over Board Members’ Past Ties to Jeffrey Epstein at Children’s Safety Organization
Alarm bells are ringing for Jim Steyer’s children’s online safety organization, Common Sense Media (CSM), as it has come to light that several of its board members have past connections to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. This revelation surfaces amidst ongoing scrutiny of wealthy elites and their interactions with Epstein.
CSM, a nonprofit dedicated to prioritizing children’s well-being in the digital age and offering parental guidance, is set to host a conference next week featuring prominent figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. While there’s no indication of wrongdoing by the board members themselves in relation to Epstein’s crimes, the optics of their past communications and associations are raising questions about judgment and the organization’s vetting processes.
A spokesperson for CSM addressed the concerns, stating, “Having reviewed the related references here, we have no concerns about these individuals. Common Sense Media remains the leading non-partisan children’s advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the best interest of America’s children and families.” The Steyer brothers, Jim and billionaire California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer, have not been implicated in any of the Epstein disclosures.
Among those with past ties is Tim Zagat, co-founder of Zagat Survey. Reports indicate Zagat repeatedly dined with Epstein and is listed in his flight logbook, including a 2002 flight on Epstein’s private jet to a TED conference in California.
This particular flight also listed Geraldine Laybourne, former president of Nickelodeon, as a passenger. Laybourne has previously stated she was unaware the plane belonged to Epstein and simply accepted a flight from New York to Monterey.
Howard Gardner, a renowned education scholar from Harvard, also maintained contact with Epstein even after the financier’s crimes became public knowledge. Gardner’s name appears over 380 times in the Department of Justice’s Epstein disclosures, primarily for email communications. Gardner told The Harvard Crimson that he ceased accepting funding from Epstein after his arrest but tried to be supportive “as a friend and beneficiary of his philanthropy,” claiming he and others were unaware of the full extent of Epstein’s crimes at the time.
Former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. joined CSM’s board in 2024, despite previous criticism regarding his office’s 2011 recommendation for Epstein to receive a Level 1 sex offender classification – a reduction from the more severe Level 3. Judge Ruth Pickholz, overseeing the case at the time, expressed surprise at the prosecutor’s request given Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sexual misconduct with minors.
Vance has stated he was unaware of the specifics of Epstein’s prior case due to an error and, once informed, pursued stringent restrictions. He also emphasized that he has never met or communicated with Epstein.
Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, has served on the CSM board for over a decade. Her connection to Epstein gained public attention when Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, attended Clinton’s wedding. While Hillary Clinton later stated Maxwell was invited by a donor to the Clinton Foundation, reports from Politico suggested a closer relationship between Chelsea Clinton and Maxwell, a claim Chelsea Clinton has consistently refuted.
Furthermore, the Gates Foundation is listed as a foundation partner for CSM. Co-founder Bill Gates has been repeatedly linked to Epstein through email communications and meetings, which Gates has since described as “foolish.” He is expected to participate in a transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee in May.
Requests for comment were sent to the Steyer campaign and the five board members mentioned.