Michigan Lawmakers Push for Epstein Investigation Into Interlochen Center

State House Resolution Would Create Select Committee With Power to Subpoena Witnesses and Examine Records

Nearly 50 Michigan state House members are pushing for a bipartisan investigation into the connections between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the Interlochen Center for the Arts in northern Michigan.

State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, sponsored House Resolution 284 with 44 other members of the House. The resolution would establish a six-member select committee with the authority to administer oaths, subpoena witnesses, and examine books and records of corporations, state departments, boards, institutions or agencies.

The committee would focus on two critical questions about Interlochen's response to Epstein's presence at the campus over decades.

Was anyone at the camp responsible for Epstein and what he was doing during those stays?

Was he just allowed to roam free because he was a major benefactor?

Epstein Donated Nearly Half a Million Dollars and Built Lodge Named After Himself

Epstein first became acquainted with Interlochen while attending the school's summer camp in the summer of 1967. He became a donor in 1990, contributing almost half a million dollars through 2003.

His giving included funding a cabin named the Jeffrey E. Epstein Scholarship Lodge and paying the scholarships of several children.

Classified files released by the U.S. Department of Justice late last year revealed that Epstein met his first victim, a 13-year-old girl, at the Northern Michigan arts education and performance hub over 30 years ago.

Court documents obtained by local media showed Epstein allegedly masturbated with a 13-year-old voice student on his lap during a conversation at the camp in the summer of 1994. The abuse escalated over the course of years, and Epstein allegedly raped her on multiple occasions starting in 1997 when she was 17.

Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. In 2008, he was convicted in Florida of soliciting sex from a minor. Over the intervening decade, dozens of victims came forward with accusations and lawsuits.

Interlochen Cut Ties in 2008 When Epstein Was Convicted

The Interlochen Center for the Arts cut ties with Epstein in 2008 when he was convicted in Florida. All donor recognition was removed at that time, including the center renaming what is now the Green Lake Lodge.

The Green Lake Lodge is not currently in use. The center is developing a plan for alternative uses of the site.

The center said it also reviewed its records in 2009 and found no complaints or concerns related to Epstein. The center conducted a second review in July 2019 after Epstein's second arrest with the same conclusion.

"We are aware of information that has emerged publicly by two individuals who have shared that they met Epstein through Interlochen in the 1990s," the center said in a statement. "We are appalled at what we have learned about the scope of conduct by Epstein and his co-conspirators and we expect that a more comprehensive understanding of the full scope will continue to evolve."

The center said while its internal reviews focused on what information was reported or known to Interlochen, the safety and well-being of their students will always be their highest priority.

Interlochen Has Received State Funds in the Past and Could Receive Additional Funding

The resolution notes that the Interlochen Center for the Arts has received funds from the state in the past and it could receive additional state funds in the future.

"It is crucial for the House of Representatives to learn about the extent of Interlochen's awareness and their response to this situation, and to evaluate how Interlochen intends to protect children from sexual predators in the future," the resolution reads.

Tsernoglou said she was shocked when she found out how deeply rooted the apparent connections between Epstein and Interlochen were. Not only was Epstein a donor, but because he donated a cabin named after himself, he was also allowed to stay on campus for two weeks a year for a number of years.

"One cannot help but wonder: did he donate a cabin so that he would have more unfettered, unsupervised access to children?" Tsernoglou said.

Following the Department of Justice's public partial release of the Epstein files, Tsernoglou said institutions, individuals and even some government officials across the globe have come under scrutiny for connections to Epstein.

Michigan is a part of Epstein's past, and lawmakers in Michigan are determined to find out what that past looks like, and whether or not any state funds went to organizations that may have knowingly or unknowingly allowed Epstein to prey on children.

Tsernoglou said she is optimistic House Resolution 284 will not become a partisan issue, evidenced by the fact that members from both parties signed onto this resolution.

Oversight Committee Chairman Acknowledged Request, Says Discussion Will Happen in Coming Days

During a Tuesday House Oversight Committee meeting, Chairman Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, acknowledged he had received a letter from Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou and others regarding an investigation request.

DeBoyer said there would be a discussion in the coming days about how to move forward.

Later Tuesday, House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said he wasnt aware of the request and would have to look at it.

Asked by a reporter whether it would be concerning for a pedophile to have a relationship with a school, Hall replied, "I am not familiar with what the subject is. So Id have to look at it."

Maureen Oleson, director of communications for the Interlochen Center for the Arts, said the nonprofit organization has fully cooperated with all requests related to federal investigations.

"We take these matters very seriously," Oleson said. "We would respond to any additional inquiries from elected officials or oversight bodies as appropriate and remain committed to transparency."

If Passed, Select Committee Would Be Able to Get to Work Immediately

State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou said she encourages Michigan residents who support the resolution to reach out to their state representatives and ask if they have signed on.

If passed by the House, the select committee would be able to get to work immediately, according to Tsernoglou's office.

The committee would report to the state House with a summary of its findings and conclusions, along with any recommendations on further appropriate actions the legislature could take.