Monthly Archives: January, 2024

Former President Donald Trump's legal team alleged Thursday that federal prosecutors have deliberately violated a stay order in his Washington D.C. case to thwart his presidential bid.

In the defense's clearest attack yet, they alleged special counsel Jack Smith and his team were trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.

"Unstated, but obvious, is the prosecutors' desperate effort to harass President Trump and prevent his likely victory in the 2024 Presidential Election," Trump's defense attorneys wrote in the latest court filing. "A significant part of this strategy, which the prosecutors have employed from the outset, is to use this case as a platform to advance the Biden Campaign’s dishonest political talking points, including, for example, echoing the false and defamatory claims that President Trump spreads 'disinformation.'"

The defense motion comes in response to request last month from Smith's team, which filed a 20-page motion seeking to block Trump from bringing politics into the jury room.

Trump's defense team also asked the judge to consider civil contempt actions against the prosecutors and order them to pay for part of Trump's defense.

"Namely, the prosecutors should reimburse President Trump for all reasonable attorneys; fees and other expenses that he has incurred responding to the prosecutor's improper productions and filings," they wrote.

Smith's team of federal prosecutors charged Trump with four federal counts related to contesting the 2020 election and the storming of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. The charges include conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction, and conspiracy against the right to vote and to have one's vote counted, according to the indictment. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

(The Center Square) – As the technology behind porn changes, so do Wisconsin’s laws.

That's the explanation behind the new legislation that would make artificial intelligence-generated child pornography a crime.

The Senate Committee on Judiciary held a hearing on Senate Bill 314, which would treat sexually explicit, computer generated pictures or videos of children and underage teenagers exactly the same as traditional child porn.

“The creation and possession of AI generated child sex images is not currently a crime in our state. We have no accountability for those who engage in pedophilic desires and fantasies with computer generated content,” Sen. Jesse James, R-Altoona, told lawmakers.

The new legislation came from The Speaker’s AI Task Force, and James said by working with the state’’s Department of Justice.

Rep. Calvin Callahan, R-Tomahawk, said that even though AI child porn is created by computer software, there are real victims somewhere.

“You could be saying to yourself ‘Well if it's artificial, then where is the harm in the person using that? There isn't a victim is there?’” Callahan said. “The truth of the matter is that the data used to create these fake images has to come from somewhere, those being real victims.”

Callahan said AI porn is more than just images depicting young children having sex with adults.

He said there are countless stories of people using AI technology to create revenge porn or to sextort people.

“I've been told about a high school student in Wisconsin who uses AI to create nude photos of his classmates. He uses the AI software to add underage classmates faces’ to nude bodies. This is the creation of child pornography, and this in Wisconsin today is sadly legal,” Callahan said.

Callahan said creating the new AI porn law would help investigators by eliminating their need to “sift through” the AI images to see which ones were created from a specific real image.

The plan would be a Class D felony and include a mandatory minimum three-year prison sentence for anyone more than 18 years old, or anyone two years older than their victim.

Former President Bill Clinton is among several high-profile names identified in nearly 1,000 pages of unsealed court documents stemming from a defamation lawsuit related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents released out of the Southern District Court of New York Wednesday evening, were filed by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s close associate and partner. The documents reveal a damning relationship between Clinton and Epstein.

In a shocking deposition, Johanna Sjoberg, recruited to work as a “massage therapist” for the accused pedophile, said Epstein claimed, “Clinton likes them young, referring to girls.”

In the documents, Maxwell denied Clinton ever visited Epstein’s private Caribbean Island while confirming the former president dined on Epstein’s private jet while traveling around the world.

“The allegation that Clinton had a meal on Jeffrey’s Island is 100 percent false,” Maxwell testified. She could not indicate how many times Clinton flew on the “Lolita Express,” a nickname for Epstein’s jet.

In a 2019 statement from Clinton spokesman Angel Urena, the former president claimed to have been unaware of Epstein’s crimes.

“President Clinton knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida some years ago, or those with which he has been recently charged in New York,” the statement said.

The statement confirmed Clinton traveled on board Epstein’s plane on four trips, claiming they were connected to work with the Clinton Foundation, denying visiting Epstein’s private island, his New Mexico ranch, or his Florida residence.

Maxwell was pressed on her relationship with Clinton's aide, Doug Band. When asked if she ever had a relationship with Band, she replied, “We are talking about adult consensual relationships, it's off the record.” It was revealed that Band was present during encounters between the former president and Epstein, including a 2002 African trip onboard Epstein’s jet.

Photos from the trip show Clinton receiving a massage from Epstein accuser and flight attendant Chauntae Davies during a stopover.

In addition to Epstein’s relationship with the former president, the documents reveal a cadre of who’s who of the rich and powerful identified as Epstein’s associates, including Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Hyatt Chief Executive Office Thomas Pritzker, scientist Stephen Hawkings, famed magician David Copperfield, among others.

Former President Donald Trump fulfilled a promise made last month to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled he wasn’t constitutionally eligible for the state’s Republican presidential primary ballot in March.

Trump’s legal team filed their appeal to the nation’s highest court on Wednesday after Colorado’s highest court ruled in a 4-3 decision his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"The questions presented in this Petition are of the utmost importance," the request states. "President Trump is the leading candidate for the nomination for President of the United States of one of two major political parties. In 2020, President Trump received more than 74 million votes nationally, and more than 1.3 million votes in Colorado alone to be reelected as President of the United States. Thus, the Colorado Supreme Court decision would unconstitutionally disenfranchise millions of voters in Colorado and likely be used as a template to disenfranchise tens of millions of voters nationwide."

After six Republicans filed a lawsuit to remove Trump from the ballot last September, a district court ruled in favor of Trump. District Court Judge Sarah Wallace said the 14th Amendment doesn’t provide for the removal of Trump from the ballot. She said Trump “incited imminent lawless violence" but didn’t meet the definition of “engagement” found in the 14th Amendment.

The case was then appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court. Last week, the Colorado Republican Party appealed Trump’s case to the U.S. Supreme Court. That appeal automatically placed Trump on the March 5, 2024, primary ballot due to a stipulation in the Colorado Supreme Court ruling.

"The United States Supreme Court now has two appeals to consider in determining whether Donald Trump is eligible to appear on Colorado's Presidential Primary ballot," Colorado Democrat Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement on Wednesday. "I urge the Court to consider this case as quickly as possible. Coloradans — and the American people — deserve clarity on whether someone who engaged in insurrection may run for the country's highest office."

Griswold’s office stated Trump will appear on the state’s 2024 presidential primary ballot when it is certified on Friday. However, if the U.S. Supreme Court declines to take the case or otherwise affirms the Colorado Supreme Court ruling, Trump would be removed from the ballot. A conference day for the Supreme Court was previously scheduled for Friday, Jan. 5.

The appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court also states disputed questions of qualifications for president are reserved for congress to resolve. It also states Section Three of the 14th Amendment cannot apply to Trump as it doesn't list the presidency.

""This reading defies common sense and is not correct," the document says of the Colorado Supreme Court's ruling.

The request also argues there wasn't an "insurrection" on Jan. 6, 2021, as it's defined in the constitution.

"By contrast, the United States has a long history of political protests that have turned violent," the document states. "In the summer of 2020 alone, violent protestors targeted the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, for over 50 days, repeatedly assaulted federal officers and set fire to the courthouse, all in support of a purported political agenda opposed to the authority of the United States."

Embattled U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is facing new federal charges alleging that he worked as an agent for Qatar in exchange for monetary bribes.

Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, was charged with receiving gifts from Qatar in a new superseding indictment made public Tuesday by the U.S. Justice Department that alleges the bribery and extortion scheme continued into 2023, nearly a year longer than initially alleged by federal prosecutors.

The new charges add to the legal woes for Menendez, who is already facing federal charges alleging he acted as a foreign agent and accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes to benefit the Egyptian government.

In September, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unsealed a 39-page indictment accusing Menendez and his wife, Nadine, of accepting "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in bribes in exchange for using his political influence to benefit the Egyptian government and business associates in New Jersey.

A month later, federal prosecutors filed a new indictment alleging that Menendez had acted as a "foreign agent" for Egypt by shepherding billions in military aid that previously had been denied to the country over its record of human rights abuses.

Among the new allegations, Menendez accepted payments from one of his co-conspirators, New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes, in exchange for using his political influence to help him obtain millions of dollars from an investment fund tied to the Qatari government.

"Those bribes included cash, gold, payments towards a home mortgage, compensation for a low or no-show job, luxury vehicles, and other things of value," prosecutors wrote in the 50-page court filing.

Prosecutors also allege after Menendez’s home was raided by the FBI in 2022, he took steps to try to cover up the alleged bribes by paying back the mortgage payments to the businessmen and describing them as personal loans.

Menendez has vigorously denied any wrongdoing, and his attorney blasted the latest charges as "a string of baseless assumptions and bizarre conjectures based on routine, lawful contacts between a Senator and his constituents or foreign officials."

"Those interactions were always based on his professional judgment as to the best interests of the United States because he is, and always has been, a patriot," Adam Fee said in a statement. "This latest Indictment only exposes the lengths to which these hostile prosecutors will go to poison the public before a trial even begins.

"But these new allegations don’t change a thing, and their theories won’t survive the scrutiny of the court or a jury," Fee added.

Menendez and his wife have pleaded not guilty to the previous charges, and he has refused to step down despite calls from fellow New Jersey Democrats, including Gov. Phil Murphy and Sen. Cory Booker.

A recent poll found a majority of New Jersey voters want Menendez to step down and make the allegations.

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has filed an appeal of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ decision to disqualify him from the primary ballot, according to local news reports.

A Kennebec County Superior Court clerk confirmed filing to the Portland Press Herold late Tuesday afternoon. “The clerk said a judge was reviewing the filing and a copy was not immediately available,” according to the news report.

Last week, Bellows issued a decision brought forth by Maine voters to challenge Trump’s primary petition, determining it invalid.

Bellows, a Democrat, “ruled that the declaration on his candidate consent form is false,” saying the former president is not qualified to hold the office of president, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

Bellows contends that Trump deliberately inflamed supporters to prevent the certification of the 2020 election. She accused the former president of knowingly encouraging “violence.”

“I conclude … that the record establishes that Mr. Trump, over the course of several months and culminating on January 6, 2021, used a false narrative of election fraud to inflame his supporters and direct them to the Capitol to prevent certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power,” Bellows wrote.

“I likewise conclude that Mr. Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it,” Bellows added.

Bellows defended her decision, saying it was not reached “lightly.” She underscored the oath she took to uphold the Constitution in her decision.

“The oath I swore to uphold the Constitution comes first above all, and my duty under Maine’s election laws, when presented with a Section 336 challenge, is to ensure that candidates who appear on the primary ballot are qualified for the office they seek,” Bellows wrote.

Republican Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham, leader of the Maine House of Representatives, released a brief statement slamming Bellows’ decision as a “sham” and accusing the secretary of state of being a partisan hack.

“This is a sham decision that mimics third world dictatorships," he said. "It will not stand legal scrutiny. People have a right to choose their leaders devoid of mindless decisions by partisan hacks."

A Venezuelan man who illegally entered the U.S. was arrested after wielding a machete and knife in the U.S. Capitol building the day after Christmas. He is being processed for removal.

Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan national, was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Dec. 26 for carrying a machete, a butcher’s knife and a brick at the U.S. Capitol. He was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon and possessing a prohibited weapon.

He was taken into custody the next day by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) agents in Washington, D.C.

“Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez posed a significant threat to people in and around the U.S. Capitol,” ICE ERO Washington, D.C. acting Field Office Director Patrick Divver said in a statement. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Capitol Police, this threat was mitigated quickly. Fortunately, Marquez is currently in ERO custody and will face removal proceedings.”

Marquez “unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by an immigration official,” ICE said. Border patrol considers him a gotaway – a foreign national who illegally entered the U.S. between a port of entry, intentionally to evade capture by law enforcement. Roughly 1.7 million gotaways have been reported since January 2021, The Center Square first reported. Former Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz previously testified before Congress that gotaways are underreported by between 10% and 20%; officials don’t know who they are, how many or where they are.

After Marquez illegally entered, Border Patrol agents in the El Paso region of Texas arrested him on Aug. 21, 2022. The next day, he was released “on Alternatives to Detention due to a lack of detention capacity,” ICE said.

Two months later, he reported to ICE-ERO officials in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5, 2023, and was issued a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

On Dec. 27, 2023, ICE ERO-Washington, D.C., agents lodged an immigration detainer – notice of action, against him with the U.S. Marshals Service in Washington, D.C. Later that day, he was transferred into ICE-ERO custody in Washington, D.C., and remains in custody as he awaits removal proceedings.

He is among an untold number of people who illegally entered the U.S. and once caught were released into the United States by Border Patrol agents only to later be arrested for committing a crime, as The Center Square has previously reported.

Other recent ICE ERO removals include a Chilean military officer wanted for kidnapping and murder; a Brazilian fugitive wanted for raping a child; Guatemalans wanted for murder and rape; an MS-13 gang member on El Salvador’s Top 100 list; and a Brazilian military officer involved in a 2015 massacre.

They also include hundreds in recent operations with criminal convictions for certain felonies or other crimes including “murder for hire, manslaughter, sex crimes against children, assault with a firearm, battery, domestic violence, drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence,” and determined “to be a threat to national security, public safety or border security.”

In fiscal year 2022, ICE ERO agents arrested 46,396 illegal foreign nationals with criminal histories including 198,498 associated charges and convictions. The charges and convictions include 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.

In fiscal year 2022, ICE ERO agents also conducted 72,177 removals to over 150 countries.

Fiscal 2023 numbers have not yet been published.

(The Center Square) – A judge in Dane County says absentee ballots in Wisconsin don’t need a full address to be counted this year.

Judge Ryan Nilsestuen ruled local election managers need not reject absentee ballots if the absentee witness’ address is incomplete.

"The definition [of an address] preferred by the WEC and the Legislature would establish a simple, bright line rule, but it does not fit within the broader statutory context,” Nilsestuen wrote in his decision. “In fact, it directly conflicts with several other similar terms. Therefore, this definition is improper and, as used by the WEC, invalid."

The ruling comes after a judge in Waukesha County ruled last year local election clerks could not count ballots with missing address information. The Waukesha County ruling also forbade clerks from “curing” those ballots by adding the missing information.

Nilsestuen said the state law that deals with absentee ballots and witness addresses isn’t clear.

"The problem at hand could be resolved if the Legislature passed a bill to define 'address.' Instead, it is up to the judiciary to make sense of an undefined word used in a variety of different contexts in a convoluted and poorly written statute,” the judge added.

Part of the case focused on the different definitions that local election managers use to determine a “full address.”

For example, in Madison, the clerk requires a street number, street name and either the municipality or ZIP code. But in Green Bay, the clerk requires a full address to include a street number, street name, municipality and either the state name or ZIP code.

Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, said the ruling opens up another election loophole that could be exploited in Wisconsin.

“So, you can request a ballot, without an ID and sign it without an address. Nothing to see here?!” Brandtjen said on social media. “Even without an ID a ballot can be requested for the area where the voter “says” they reside. If this stands, then only a signature would be required. No trace of some voters, like fake military voters, indefinite confined, overseas voters.”

Wisconsin allows military members to submit an absentee ballot without a photo ID, and the state’s indefinitely confined voter law allows people to vote absentee without a witness.

Nilsestuen’s decision could be appealed, but it would likely then end up before Wisconsin’s liberal majority Supreme Court.

Republican lawmakers could try and write a new law that clarifies what constitutes an address for voting purposes.

An Iranian with terrorist ties was caught after illegally entering the U.S. near Niagara Falls, New York, as a record number of known, suspected terrorists (KSTs) were apprehended in the first three months of fiscal 2024 at the northern border.

After the Iranian was apprehended, agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations-Buffalo office removed him on Dec. 21.

The Iranian national first attempted to enter the U.S. on Oct. 10 by presenting himself to American immigration authorities at the Rainbow Bridge Pedestrian Walkway in Niagara Falls, New York. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers denied him entry and returned him to the Canada Border Services Agency the same day.

Two days later, on Oct. 12, he illegally entered the U.S. in another area attempting to bypass agents stationed at the Whirlpool Bridge Port of Entry in Niagara Falls, New York. He illegally entered outside of the port of entry, “without being admitted or paroled by a designated immigration official,” ICE said, but he was apprehended.

The Iranian national is also a permanent resident of Canada, identified as a national security priority who was wanted by Canadian authorities on assault charges, ICE said.

On Nov. 8, ICE ERO Buffalo agents served him with an expedited removal order and on Dec. 21, agents removed him to Canada.

“The strong law enforcement partnership between ERO Buffalo and Canadian law enforcement authorities is imperative to increasing national security and preventing dangerous individuals from fleeing justice,” ICE ERO Buffalo Field Office Director Thomas Brophy said. “The Canadian resident’s return to Canada to face charges is due to the dedicated officers on both sides of the border, working in tandem, to provide public safety for our communities.”

The announcement came as CBP Office of Field Operations agents apprehended a record 45 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) at northern border ports of entry since Oct. 1, the beginning of fiscal 2024, according to CBP data. Border Patrol agents apprehended one KST between ports of entry over the same time period. By contrast, 34 KSTs were apprehended at the southwest border over the same time period (30 between ports of entry and four at them).

So far, in the first three months of fiscal 2024, 80 KSTs have been apprehended at both borders, with the majority, 46, at the northern border.

The numbers are on track to exceed those apprehended in fiscal 2023 of 736. The majority, 487, or 66%, were apprehended at the northern border.

The total of 736 is the greatest number of KSTs apprehended in recorded U.S. history.

The Terrorist Screening Dataset is the federal database that contains sensitive information on terrorist identities, CBP said. It originated as a consolidated terrorist watchlist “to house information on known or suspected terrorists but evolved over the last decade to include additional individuals who represent a potential threat to the United States, including known affiliates of watchlisted individuals.”

By comparison, OFO and Border Patrol agents combined apprehended a total of 478 KSTs in fiscal 2022, 173 in fiscal 2021, 199 in fiscal 2020, 541 in fiscal 2019, 357 in fiscal 2018, and 353 in fiscal 2017.

(The Center Square) – The Republican who led the first investigation into Wisconsin’s 2020 election says she does not trust the effort to count the state’s absentee ballots early because she doesn’t trust election officials in Milwaukee.

State Rep. Janel Brandtken told The Center Square there are serious security concerns with the Monday Count plan moving ahead at the Wisconsin Capitol.

“I get the concept, but Milwaukee has not been a trustworthy partner in elections as I have witnessed in recount, and central count elections,” Brandtjen said.

Brandtjen said her experience with former Milwaukee Elections Commission Director Kim Zapata adds to her distrust.

Zapata sent Brandtjen three military ballots ahead of the 2022 election. Zapata said she did so to expose a loophole in Wisconsin’s military ballot law. Brandtjen said she’s not so sure.

“FYI if her VPN hadn't failed we would have never known who had sent the ballots, and I would have been under suspicion,” Brandtjen said.

The Monday County legislation would allow any city or county that uses a central count location to count its absentee ballots on the Monday before Election Day. Currently they are counted after all the other votes are counted, usually around midnight.

Supporters say allowing for an early count will avoid an overnight vote dump and help restore more faith in Wisconsin’s electoral process.

Brandtjen is worried about the potential for election chaos or voter fraud.

“Most of the states [that count ballots early] either stop registrations 29 days before, or don't have same day registrations on Election Day,” Brandtjen said. “If you know the totals, you can same-day-register individuals to make up the difference. And since there is no real time verification of IDs on Election Day, people get ballots before they are verified.”

She is also worried about the costs of an early count, namely that it requires local election clerks to prepare to open the polls and count ballots on the same day.

And Brandtjen said she has some pretty serious security fears.

“My most concerning issue is the lack of security protocols. The legislation refers to using ‘tamper evident seals’, in a double locked location, locked cabinet inside a locked office. How would you put a speed counter in a cabinet, inside an office? This means the authors believe the memory sticks are to be removed from Milwaukee’s speed counters (ballot tabulators) that would put all election results at risk,” Brandtjen said. “Removing the memory sticks is not protocol for secure elections.”

The State Assembly approved the Monday Count plan back in November. Gov. Tony Evers has said he will likely sign it if it makes it to his desk.

(The Center Square) – It took less than 10 minutes to set Wisconsin’s presidential primary ballot.

The state’s Presidential Preference Selection Committee met in Madison on Tuesday to select the candidates who may appear on the April 2 ballot.

Republicans nominated former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Vivek Ramaswammy.

Democrats nominated only President Biden.

Wisconsin’s law allows the Selection Committee to recognize “the names of all candidates whose candidacy is generally advocated or recognized in the national news media throughout the United States on the ballot, and may, in addition, place the names of other candidates on the ballot."

The hearing was largely perfunctory, with committee members answering the roll and making formal motions for most of the seven minutes they met.

None of the Democrats at Tuesday’s meeting objected to former President Trump’s name being placed on the ballot.

The Selection Committee’s meeting came just a few days after the Wisconsin Elections Commission dismissed a 14th Amendment challenge to the former president.

The Elections Commission said that challenge was improperly filed, commissioners did not weigh-in on the merits of the case.

The man who filed that challenge, Minocqua Brewing Co. owner and progressive political activist Kirk Bangstad, has promised to take his case to the courts.

Bangstad last week said he intends to appeal the Elections Commission’s decision in Madison, “where there are very smart judges," he said.

Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned Tuesday amid twin scandals over plagiarism accusations and a widely panned appearance before Congress.

Gay wrote in her resignation letter that she was the victim of "personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus."

The full letter reads as follows:

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president. This is not a decision I came to easily. Indeed, it has been difficult beyond words because I have looked forward to working with so many of you to advance the commitment to academic excellence that has propelled this great university across centuries. But, after consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.

It is a singular honor to be a member of this university, which has been my home and my inspiration for most of my professional career. My deep sense of connection to Harvard and its people has made it all the more painful to witness the tensions and divisions that have riven our community in recent months, weakening the bonds of trust and reciprocity that should be our sources of strength and support in times of crisis. Amidst all of this, it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.

I believe in the people of Harvard because I see in you the possibility and the promise of a better future. These last weeks have helped make clear the work we need to do to build that future—to combat bias and hate in all its forms, to create a learning environment in which we respect each other’s dignity and treat one another with compassion, and to affirm our enduring commitment to open inquiry and free expression in the pursuit of truth. I believe we have within us all that we need to heal from this period of tension and division and to emerge stronger. I had hoped with all my heart to lead us on that journey, in partnership with all of you. As I now return to the faculty, and to the scholarship and teaching that are the lifeblood of what we do, I pledge to continue working alongside you to build the community we all deserve.

When I became president, I considered myself particularly blessed by the opportunity to serve people from around the world who saw in my presidency a vision of Harvard that affirmed their sense of belonging—their sense that Harvard welcomes people of talent and promise, from every background imaginable, to learn from and grow with one another. To all of you, please know that those doors remain open, and Harvard will be stronger and better because they do.

As we welcome a new year and a new semester, I hope we can all look forward to brighter days. Sad as I am to be sending this message, my hopes for Harvard remain undimmed. When my brief presidency is remembered, I hope it will be seen as a moment of reawakening to the importance of striving to find our common humanity—and of not allowing rancor and vituperation to undermine the vital process of education. I trust we will all find ways, in this time of intense challenge and controversy, to recommit ourselves to the excellence, the openness, and the independence that are crucial to what our university stands for—and to our capacity to serve the world.

Sincerely,

Claudine Gay