2 weeks ago
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called connected President Biden to sojourn Columbia University arsenic students location and astatine colleges crossed nan state clasp demonstrations successful protestation of Israel's war successful Gaza.
Johnson led House GOP leaders and nan chairs of six apical committees successful a property convention announcing a wide-ranging legislature probe into instances of antisemitism astatine those demonstrations.
"Yes, I do," Johnson said erstwhile asked if he thinks Biden should spell to nan New York City Ivy League. Johnson himself visited nan schoolhouse past week, addressing anti-Israel agitators astatine a public property conference aft gathering pinch Jewish students who person said they consciousness unsafe connected field amid nan demonstrations.
Johnson said he connected pinch nan White House soon aft that visit.
ANTISEMITIC RIOT AT COLUMBIA REACHES BOILING POINT AS AGITATORS TAKE OVER ACADEMIC BUILDING, BARRICADE DOORS
House Speaker Mike Johnson dared President Biden to sojourn Columbia University. (Getty Images)
"In fact, aft we near nan campus, I made a telephone to elder argumentation advisers successful nan White House. The president was connected nan roadworthy arsenic I was, and we did not link immediately. But I've encouraged him to spell and spot it for himself," he said.
Fox News Digital reached retired to nan White House for a response.
Earlier Tuesday, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates released a connection condemning Columbia student protesters' takeover of a field building called Hamilton Hall.
"President Biden has stood against repugnant, antisemitic smears and convulsive rhetoric his full life. He condemns nan usage of nan word ‘intifada,’ arsenic he has nan different tragic and vulnerable dislike reside displayed successful caller days," Bates said. "President Biden respects nan correct to free expression, but protests must beryllium serene and lawful. Forcibly taking complete buildings is not serene – it is wrong. And dislike reside and dislike symbols person nary spot successful America."
It comes arsenic assemblage campuses astir nan state are seeing a activity of anti-Israel demonstrations that sparked erstwhile Columbia University students and those astatine their sister school, Barnard College, were arrested for mounting up an encampment connected nan Manhattan Ivy League's grounds. The protests, done successful guidance to Columbia's investments successful companies pinch Israeli ties, person continued since then.
The committees progressive are Education & nan Workforce, Energy & Commerce, Oversight, nan Judiciary, Ways & Means and nan committee connected Science, Space & Technology.
TRUMP SAYS 4 WORDS ABOUT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AS ARRESTS SKYROCKET
Students march connected Columbia University field successful support of a protestation encampment supporting Palestinians connected April 29. (REUTERS/David Dee Delgado)
The investigation is an description of nan probe being led by Education & Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.
Foxx announced a caller proceeding connected nan matter connected May 23 successful her ain remarks during nan property conference. She invited officials from Yale University, University of California astatine Los Angeles, and nan University of Michigan to testify, she said.
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who is connected nan aforesaid committee, said during nan property conference, "Enough is enough. It is clip to restore, reconstruct rule and order, world integrity and civilized decency to America's higher acquisition institutions. Joe Biden has been deafeningly silent."
The different committees will beryllium focusing connected parts of nan investigation applicable to their panels' work.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT FILES CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST SCHOOL TO PROTECT JEWS ON CAMPUS
House Education & Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx said her sheet would clasp different proceeding connected antisemitism connected assemblage campuses adjacent month. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A spokesperson for nan Energy & Commerce Committee, for example, told Fox News Digital that Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., would look into taxpayer-funded National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that spell to colleges and universities.
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House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., indicated his sheet would look into wherever nan nationwide protests' backing was coming from – suggesting he suspected a coordinated effort.
"It appears world elites are backing these hateful protests and popular up shelter cities. These are nan aforesaid groups that money different extremist agendas, including diminishing America's power accumulation and pushing soft connected crime policies that harm nan American people," Comer said. "The House Oversight Committee will travel nan money trail, expose it to nan American people, and activity to clasp bad actors backing dislike accountable."
Elizabeth Elkind is simply a authorities newsman for Fox News Digital starring sum of nan House of Representatives. Previous integer bylines seen astatine Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow connected Twitter astatine @liz_elkind and nonstop tips to [email protected]
