- Most Democrats voted towards a decision condemning antisemitism on school campuses.
- That is as a result of the decision basically known as for the presidents of Harvard and MIT to resign.
- It comes after a contentious listening to led to the resignation of Penn President Liz Magill.
The Home on Wednesday overwhelmingly handed a decision condemning antisemitism on school campuses within the wake of a contentious and viral listening to on the subject final week.
The decision, which basically requires the presidents of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how (MIT) to resign, was finally opposed by 125 Home Democrats — a robust majority of the caucus.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who has voted towards a number of pro-Israel resolutions in current weeks, additionally voted no.
In the meantime, three Home Democrats voted current: Reps. Julia Brownley and Jimmy Gomez of California, and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania.
It is the newest contentious decision to hit the Home flooring for the reason that October 7 Hamas terrorist assault, coming within the wake of a decision affirming help for Israel, a decision affirming the Jewish state’s proper to exist, and a decision equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.
And it is not even the primary decision on campus antisemitism since October 7 — the Home handed a decision condemning “all types of antisemitism on school campuses” on November 2.
‘If the speech turns into conduct, it may be harassment’
On Tuesday of final week, the Home Training and the Workforce Committee held a listening to on antisemitism on school campuses that included testimony from the presidents of three elite universities: Liz Magill of the College of Pennsylvania, Claudine Homosexual of Harvard College, and Sally Kornbluth of the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how.
Throughout their testimony, every of them condemned antisemitism.
“I’ve condemned antisemitism publicly, commonly, and within the strongest potential phrases,” Magill mentioned throughout her testimony. “And immediately, let me reiterate my and Penn’s unyielding dedication to combating it. We instantly examine any hateful act, cooperating with each legislation enforcement and the FBI, the place we now have recognized people who’ve dedicated these acts in violation of both coverage or legislation.”
However it was finally Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York’s questioning of Magill and the opposite presidents that went viral.
When Stefanik requested every witness whether or not requires the genocide of Jews constituted a violation of their universities’ codes of conduct, every college president gave largely legalistic solutions to what got here throughout as an ethical query.
“If the speech turns into conduct, it may be harassment,” Magill replied at one level, a solution largely in line with the rules of free speech however arguably tone-deaf within the present political context.
However the repercussions have been swift, with Magill resigning her place beneath strain over the weekend.
“One down,” Stefanik wrote on X after Magill’s resignation announcement. “Two to go.”
Throughout a debate on the decision on Wednesday, Stefanik boasted that the trade had “made historical past as essentially the most watched congressional testimony in historical past, with over one billion views.”
‘Little interest in meaningless resolutions’
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, a Jewish progressive, spoke out towards the decision through the flooring debate on Wednesday.
Whereas acknowledging the issue of antisemitism on school campuses — in addition to the “overly legalistic and ethically tone-deaf” testimony of the faculty presidents — he took challenge with a portion of the decision arguing that the presidents of Harvard and MIT “ought to” resign.
“Whereas President Magill has resigned, and the opposite Presidents ought to observe swimsuit,” reads one line of the decision.
“The place is the widespread sense within the Congress of the USA of America?” requested Raskin, arguing that the decision quantity to an “tutorial scarlet letter” and that the college presidents ought to be afforded “the sort of due course of that even George Santos bought.”
And Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning of North Carolina — who lately accused Stefanik of plagiarizing a letter she’d written about campus antisemitism — additionally spoke out towards the decision.
“I’ve no real interest in meaningless resolutions that do nothing to deal with the underlying challenge of antisemitism,” mentioned Manning, who finally voted for the decision.
Listed below are the 125 Democrats — plus Massie — who voted towards the decision, in line with the Home Clerk:
