'We Will Not Stop... Until These Universities Are Held Accountable': Jason Smith Discusses Protests

7 months ago

At a House Republican press briefing on Thursday, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) spoke about antisemitism on college campuses.

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Transcript

00:00Let's start out with just saying these college and universities enjoy generous, generous

00:11benefits under the U.S. tax code.

00:14They have a responsibility to the American taxpayer to ensure that they are fulfilling

00:20their educational requirements as tax-exempt organizations, as well as protecting students

00:27from intimidation, harassment, and violence.

00:31Sadly, too many colleges and universities have failed to hold up their end of the bargain.

00:38They have failed the test.

00:40They have allowed anti-Semitism to flourish on their campuses.

00:44Their inaction has emboldened the mobs who threaten Jewish students.

00:50At the Ways and Means Committee, we have been investigating the issue for months.

00:54In a hearing last November, we examined the nexus between anti-Semitism, tax-exempt universities,

01:03and terror financing networks.

01:06During that hearing, we heard vivid testimony from a Jewish student from Cornell about how

01:13she feared for her life amid the death threats being made to Jewish students on the campus

01:19while the university leadership was telling folks they shouldn't be worried.

01:25We've sent letters to university leaders demanding information on what disciplinary action, if

01:31any, that they have taken against those whose anti-Semitic activity violates campus policy.

01:40We've called on them to disclose any donations or funding they have received from foreign

01:46governments as well.

01:49Our investigation has already produced more than 1,500 pages of documents that we are

01:55now actively reviewing.

01:58We will not stop until we get answers, until Jewish students can feel safe, and until these

02:04universities are held accountable.

'We Will Not Stop... Until These Universities Are Held Accountable': Jason Smith Discusses Protests

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