House Speaker Mike Johnson hosted a press conference with Republican committee chairs, including Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, on April 30 to condemn reports of anti-Semitic incidents occurring at college campus protests across the country.
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Columbia University could face subpoenas if it fails to comply with a US House investigation into reports of rising anti-Semitism on college campuses.
“The committee has been asking for information for months. Columbia has been holding us back, and this is Columbia’s last chance to voluntarily comply,” House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx told NPR.
Fox Written A letter sent to Columbia University leaders on Thursday warned that subpoenas would be issued if school leaders did not share information requested by the committee. “We feel that the administration is not taking this matter seriously.”
The North Carolina Republican Party said the committee is seeking specific information regarding the campus refugee camp, occupy Hamilton Hallsubsequent disciplinary action and communication at Board meetings.
“We want to understand how Columbia administrators and board members responded to the events that took place on campus, and then what steps they took to hold all those responsible accountable,” she said. “This is a very, very disappointing effort, because if they had nothing to hide, why wouldn’t they share?”
Foxx said the commission rarely issues subpoenas.
“We tried to convey in the letter that we take it very seriously, but a subpoena is a much more serious matter, and we hope that their attorneys will explain to them that we are entitled to these documents,” Foxx said. “We have a supervisory responsibility. We are entitled to these documents, and they need to produce them.”
A Columbia University spokesperson said the school is reviewing the letter from the committee.
“We are committed to standing against anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred,” the spokesperson said in a statement to NPR.
The investigation began in February.
In February, the committee launched an investigation into reports of anti-Semitism and harassment at Columbia University following student protests around Israel and Gaza. Since the investigation began, the committee has made multiple requests for documents from the university.
The commission has given the university until August 8 to produce documents and information or face a subpoena.
Foxx said the new deadline will allow the committee to review documents provided by Columbia to get answers before students return to campus in the fall.
“Everyone’s concern is keeping Jewish students safe on campus. That’s at the core of this issue, and that’s why we’re pushing these people to let us know what their actions are,” she said. “If they don’t take action, students won’t know if they’re safe this fall, and that’s important.”
House Republicans have spent months summoning university leaders to testify on Capitol Hill about allegations of anti-Semitism on their campuses, as students call on their schools to divestment from Israel as the country waged war against Hamas.
GOP-led committees have held hearings to highlight the voices of students who say they face harassment on and around campus for being Jewish.
The investigations have led to numerous resignations from university leaders and have become a political tool in GOP campaign aims to draw attention to divisions in the Democratic Party.
