House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) is trying to turn up the pressure on colleges and universities that don’t crack down on anti-Israel protests.
In a video obtained by the Guardian, Scalise, speaking at a meeting with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, outlined his plan to punish universities over pro-Palestinian campus protests. He said House Republicans would be aided by former President Donald Trump if he got into office.
“We at the federal level are looking at all of them. There’s some civil rights violations we think are being violated. Now, obviously, we don’t have the Justice Department today,” he said. “If you have a change in administration, President Trump’s made it clear: Day One, if you’re a college that is violating the civil rights of your students … we’re taking away your accreditation. You want to get their attention? Party’s over if you take away, we have that ability.”
“We’re going and looking at federal money, the federal grants that go through the Science Committee, student loans,” Scalise continued. “You have a lot of jurisdiction as president, with all of these different agencies that are involving billions of dollars. Some cases, a billion alone going to one school. And so we’re looking at all of it. We’ve identified all of them.”
He then attacked the Biden-Harris administration for its perceived lack of action.
“Clearly, this administration doesn’t care. You can have an administration that actually says, ‘We’re … not going to play the game anymore,’” the Louisiana Republican said. “There’s a lot of levers and tools that will get their attention, Day One. Your accreditations on the line, you’re not playing games anymore, or else you’re not a school anymore.”
Targeting colleges’ accreditation would devastate their funding, as most federal money that subsidizes them comes through student loans depending on approval of its academic standards. The United States education secretary is the ultimate authority on accreditation.
The private meeting was held on Oct. 1 and also attended by Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX). Both praised AIPAC’s major influence on politics.
“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for firing Jamaal Bowman and, even more so, Miss Cori Bush. Great work,” Fallon said.
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“That’s accountability, by the way,” Scalise said, praising the organization for having “tentacles throughout the Republican and Democrat circles in 435 districts. You can see how people are voting — just put the pressure on those who are voting the wrong way.”
He also bashed Jewish students who attend or support pro-Palestinian protests, saying they “just feel guilty that they’re alive. I don’t know how you’re brought up to where you feel, ‘I’m a Jewish student, and I’m on the side with terrorists who want to kill me.’”
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
