Top Biden science adviser apologizes for 'demeaning' colleagues

A top science adviser to President Joe Biden, Eric Lander, apologized to staff on Friday for speaking to colleagues in a "disrespectful or demeaning way," after an internal investigation found evidence of workplace conduct policy violations.

The President's science adviser and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy was the subject of an internal investigation late last year after a complaint was filed under the Executive Office of the President's Safe and Respectful Workplace Policy, a spokesperson for OSTP told CNN. The investigation found "credible evidence" of violations of the policy, and "corrective action was taken consistent with those findings," the spokesperson said. It did not find credible evidence of gender-based discrimination, the spokesperson noted.

Lander met with senior White House Office leadership "about the seriousness of this matter and the President and Chief of Staff's expectations that all staff interactions exhibit respect," the spokesperson said. Lander is now required to take a "number of actions" to correct the behavior and the White House will monitor the compliance of the requirements.