by Ben Whedon
Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates will review Cornell’s handling of sexual misconduct cases amid the ongoing scandal involving the “Cornell 7” and an alleged gang rape from 2024.
Yates will conduct the review at the university’s invitation, the Associated Press reported.
Yates served as acting attorney general in 2017 during the first Trump administration, but was fired after telling Department of Justice lawyers not to defend President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order in court. The executive order restricted travel from seven Muslim countries, citing terrorism concerns.
“The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel,” the White House explained, according to Politico. “Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.”
Yates served as acting attorney general at the start of Trump’s first administration in 2017 but was fired after directing Justice Department lawyers not to defend his travel ban in court. The executive order temporarily barred entry into the United States by nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, citing terrorism concerns
The university has been under public scrutiny for days over allegations from a Jane Doe that multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity had sexually assaulted her during a party in which she consumed alcohol and drugs.
Jane Doe is suing seven former students, who have become known as the “Cornell 7”, as well as the university, and Chi Phi fraternity. But local authorities have not filed charges.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., this month announced that state Attorney General Letitia James would review the matter.
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Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News.
Photo “Cornell University Campus” by 颐园居. CC BY-SA 4.0.
