Stefanik slams Columbia University 'arrogance,' 'inconsistent testimony': 'reckoning of accountability'

"Today's proceeding of Columbia University president and committee members epitomizes nan grounded activity connected ‘elite’ assemblage campuses to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish students," Stefanik said successful a statement. "From nan assemblage president's civilized equivocation connected antisemitism, to glaringly inconsistent grounds regarding disciplinary action and deficiency thereof taken against antisemitic students and pro-terrorist faculty, to astonishingly stating that location has been nary ‘anti-Jewish’ protests connected field only to past admit that ‘F-- nan Jews’ & ‘Death to nan Jews’ is in-fact anti-Jewish erstwhile she was further pressed." 

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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questions Columbia University president Nemat Shafik astatine nan House Committee connected Education and nan Workforce proceeding connected Capitol Hill successful Washington, Wednesday, April 17, 2024.  (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Arguing location person simply been what she categorizes arsenic "anti-war" aliases "pro-war" protests astatine nan university, Omar asked Shafik if she's seen immoderate "protest saying we are against Jewish," to which nan Columbia president responded "I person not." But Stefanik rejected nan assertion, later connected astatine nan proceeding noting really "the slurs and nan chants person been ‘f nan Jews. Death to Jews. F Israel. No place. Death to nan Zionist state. Jews out.’ You don't deliberation those are anti-Jewish?" 

Shafik agreed, "Completely anti-Jewish, Completely," to which Stefanik said, "So you changed your grounds connected that rumor arsenic well. So location person been anti-Jewish protests." 

Columbia University President Nemat Shafik testifies earlier nan House Committee connected Education and nan Workforce proceeding connected "Columbia successful Crisis: Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism," Wednesday, April 17, 2024.  (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

At nan hearing, Stefanik and different House Republicans besides questioned why a tenured Columbia professor, Joseph Massad, who praised "the innovative Palestinian Resistance" and Hamas militants for attacking Israel and glorifying Hamas's bulldoze of astir 1,200 Jews, describing nan panic attack connected confederate Israel as "awesome," "astonishing," "astounding," and "incredible," remained arsenic nan chair of nan School of Arts and Sciences Academic Review Committee. Shafik astatine first testified she believed Massad was nary longer chair of nan committee, but Stefanik later pointed retired he was still listed arsenic holding nan position connected nan university's website. Shafik later clarified that Massad is nether investigation for nan antisemitic remarks.

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In her post-hearing statement, Stefanik said that during a break, "the witnesses were overheard discussing really good they thought their grounds was going for Columbia." 

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., questions witnesses during a House Committee connected Education and nan Workforce proceeding astir antisemitism connected assemblage campuses, connected Capitol Hill successful Washington, DC, connected April 17, 2024. (DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images)

"This arrogance is eerily reminiscent to nan erstwhile 3 assemblage presidents who believed stepping retired of nan proceeding that their grounds was acceptable," Stefanik said. "Columbia is successful for a reckoning of accountability. If it takes a personnel of Congress to unit a assemblage president to occurrence a pro-terrorist, antisemitic module chair, past Columbia University activity is failing Jewish students and its world mission. No magnitude of overlawyered, overprepped, and over-consulted grounds is going to screen up for nonaccomplishment to act."

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Notably, nan House GOP chair grilled nan presidents of Harvard, UPenn and MIT successful December connected whether calls for nan genocide of Jews violated assemblage argumentation against bullying and harassment aliases their codes of conduct. Each schoolhouse leader said much discourse would beryllium needed, failing to springiness a definitive response. 

Months later, aft those testimonies prompted wide outcry and nan resignations of 2 of nan 3 presidents, Shafik and different Columbia witnesses testified definitively, "yes," to nan aforesaid question.