Former President Barack Obama lobbied Harvard to keep university president Claudine Gay in her role despite her controversial testimony to Congress.
Gay, along with other university presidents, refused to say that calls for Jewish genocide violate their universities’ policies against hate speech.
According to Jewish Insider, a source familiar with Obama said, “It sounded like people were being asked to close ranks to keep the broader administration stable — including its composition.”
This sparked a revolt among Harvard’s wealthiest supporters, leading to a freeze in financial support. (Trending: Trans Athlete Breaks College Record After Joining Women’s Team)
Despite the backlash and a plagiarism scandal, Harvard stood by Gay, partly due to Obama’s private lobbying.
Gay later attempted to clarify her comments and apologized for her testimony.
“There are some who have confused a right to free expression with the idea that Harvard will condone calls for violence against Jewish students,” said Dr. Gay.
“Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group are vile, they have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account,” she continued.
“I am sorry,” Gay wrote in a statement. “Words matter,” she added. Gay claimed that she “substantively failed to convey what is my truth.”
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