Sen. George Mitchell’s name appeared in the Epstein files more than 300 times.
Jill Brady/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
The University of Maine system voted this weekto remove the name of George Mitchell, a former U.S. senator and Democratic majority leader, from a center and scholarships in light of his reported ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The decision, made Monday by the system’s Board of Trustees, was first reported byNews Center Maine. According toNews Center, Mitchell’s name appeared more than 300 times inthe documentsreleased by the Justice Department as part of its Epstein investigation. After his tenure in the Senate, Mitchell played a leading role in negotiating a peace agreement in Northern Ireland and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“This process has been extremely painful and difficult and challenging for all who admire Senator Mitchell’s incredible, extraordinary achievements in public leadership,” said University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, who led the task force responsible for deciding how to address concerns about Mitchell’s affiliation with the system.
The task force noted that Mitchell has not been charged with any crimes and the removal of his name does not represent a judgment of guilt. However, its reportnotedthat “continued use of Senator Mitchell’s name would compromise the public trust and reflect adversely upon the university and its reputation.”
The system will rename theSenator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutionsand theGeorge J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship, which funds studies in Ireland, according toboard documents. They will be changed to the University of Maine Center for Sustainability Solutions and the University of Maine Peace Scholarship, respectively, though the university’s websites had not been updated as of Wednesday.
It will likely be several months before all references to Mitchell are removed, according toNews Center.
