Initial ON FOX – Dwelling Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., accused Columbia University President Dr. Nemat “Minouche” Shafik of attempting to “deal with-up” for a “pro-terrorist” professor who experienced celebrated the Oct. 7 assaults, through her congressional testimony this 7 days.
“A reminder to President Shafik that knowingly deceptive Congress is a felony,” Stefanik warned in a statement shared first with Fox Information Digital. “Despite Columbia President Shafik’s testimony, there has been NO motion to fire or discipline pro-terrorist and antisemitic college chair Professor Joseph Massad.”
“Columbia has attempted to include up for Shafik’s lies updating their internet site to clearly show Massad as ‘outgoing chair’ but refuse to quickly take away him inspite of Shafik committing to at the hearing,” Stefanik continued. “Meanwhile, Massad promises no a single from the University has even spoken to him about his hateful statements or any investigation.”
“Shafik’s wrong testimony and refusal to handle the severity of the rampant antisemitism on her campus is an affront to the Jewish college students and school at Columbia beneath her failed management,” she reported.
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Stefanik and other Dwelling Republicans hammered Shafik all through Wednesday’s House Instruction and the Workforce Committee hearing to explore pervasive antisemitism at the Ivy League college, demanding to know what consequences, if any, Professor Joseph Massad confronted just after crafting an short article praising the Oct. 7 assaults in southern Israel by Hamas militants as “awesome,” “astonishing,” “astounding” and “unbelievable.”
Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questions Columbia College president Nemat Shafik at the Household Committee on Education and the Workforce listening to in Washington, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., asserted that Massad’s piece glorified Hamas’ slaughter of just about 1,200 Jews.
Asked no matter whether Massad faced any disciplinary motion, Shafik testified that the professor had been “spoken to” by the head of his division of Middle Jap, South Asian and African Reports and his dean. Although the college president explained she was had not been a component of these conversations, Shafik said to Congress that Massad was instructed that the language he employed in his posting “was unacceptable.”
But Massad’s statements to CNN soon after the congressional listening to contradicted Shafik’s testimony.
“I was demonstrated solidarity by my chair and deans primarily based on the dying threats that I gained and the marketing campaign concentrating on me,” he reportedly told CNN Thursday with regards to prior talks.
Columbia University President Nemat Shafik testifies before the Dwelling Committee on Schooling and the Workforce, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Image/Jose Luis Magana)
“No a person has contacted me at all from the college with regards to my current chairmanship,” he extra, expressing that the actuality that he was beneath investigation by the university was “information” he uncovered through the listening to.
Fox Information Electronic arrived at out to Columbia College for comment Friday but did not instantly listen to again.
Shafik in the beginning testified that Massad was no extended chair of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Educational Evaluate Committee and that he “does not have a leadership purpose,” but Stefanik later on challenged why the tenured professor remained stated as chair on the university’s web page.
Shafik recanted, telling Congress that she essential to look at regardless of whether Massad was nonetheless chair of the committee, which oversees the periodic evaluate of all departments, centers and institutes at the faculty.
“You mentioned that Professor Massad was no more time chair. Then you mentioned he’s underneath investigation. He is even now chair on the website. So, has he been terminated as chair?” the congresswoman asked.
Police just take security steps as demonstrators get outdoors Columbia University to support the students’ “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” demanding divestment from Israel in New York City on April 17, 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu by means of Getty Visuals)
Shafik claimed she wanted “to validate the facts just before acquiring back to you,” and Stefanik acknowledged that the university president did affirm that Massad was below investigation for alleged discrimination.
“Did you confirm he was even now the chair?” Stefanik requested.
“I want to validate that with you. I want to – I need to check,” Shafik reported.
Stefanik pressed, “Effectively, permit me ask you this: Will you make the dedication to get rid of him as chair?
“I imagine that would be – I assume I would, certainly. Permit me occur again with yes. But I consider I just want to confirm his current standing right before I reply,” Shafik told the committee, to which Stefanik replied, “We’ll just take that as a sure, that you will validate that he will no for a longer time be chair.”
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Massad reportedly instructed CNN on Thursday that he intends to continue being a member of the committee future yr for a 3-calendar year phrase. CNN also highlighted how Massad is an outgoing chair due to the fact of expression boundaries, that means that he would be leaving the leadership part in a make a difference of weeks anyway without the need of any disciplinary motion.
