Schumer Under Fire: Labeled ‘Traitor’ for Secretly Urging Columbia U to Sideline Anti-Semitism Criticism

Schumer Under Fire: Labeled ‘Traitor’ for Secretly Urging Columbia U to Sideline Anti-Semitism Criticism

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is under fire after a GOP-led report suggested he pressured Columbia University administrators to downplay criticisms over anti-Semitic and violent incidents on campus following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. As reported by The New York Post, the 325-page report from the House Education and Workforce Committee alleges that Schumer advised then-president of Columbia, Minouche Shafik, that the university’s “political problems are really only among Republicans,” assuring that Democrats would not scrutinize the school’s handling of these incidents.

It’s the first day of class @Columbia and the mob is back, this time blocking the primary entrance to campus.

Protesters are holding signs supporting “intifada” and declaring “to rebel is justified.” The violence is back.

Jewish students just want to go to class! pic.twitter.com/L0ZHd4zIJj

— Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) September 3, 2024

The committee’s investigation focused on the handling of anti-Israel protests on college campuses, including Columbia, Harvard, Yale, and Northwestern, with the committee reviewing private emails and text messages between university officials, The Post report said. According to the report, Schumer’s staff recommended that Columbia take a low-profile approach, advising university leaders to “keep heads down” amid growing concerns over campus anti-Semitism and the backlash to violence targeting Jewish students.

Dov Hikind, a former Brooklyn state assemblyman and the leader of Americans Against Antisemitism, voiced his outrage over the guidance. He strongly condemned Schumer, calling him a “kapo traitor” and accused him of betraying Jewish students and failing in his role as a defender against anti-Semitism. “The self-proclaimed protector of the Jewish people. Chuckey Schumer is nothing but a kapo traitor. He should be ashamed of himself,” Hikind said, according to the report in The Post. Hikind further charged that Schumer’s actions reflected the current direction of the Democratic Party, expressing deep disappointment in the leadership’s response to incidents that have left Jewish students feeling unsafe and unsupported.

This is five minutes of absolute absurdity happening @columbia right now. Jewish Zionists walk into the “encampment” and the mob tries to force them out. This is a public space on campus that they are treating as private property. This is full blown mob mentality and anarchy. pic.twitter.com/k034tDXY3F

— Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) April 22, 2024

Schumer’s office, however, has rejected the claims, calling the report “flat-out false” and questioning its credibility. Schumer spokesperson Angelo Roefaro defended the senator’s record, asserting that Schumer has consistently condemned anti-Semitic acts and has spoken out against violence, particularly when it crosses into glorification of the October 7 violence. “Sen. Schumer regularly and forcefully condemned anti-Semitic acts at Columbia and elsewhere, saying ‘when protests shift to anti-Semitism, verbal abuse, intimidation, or glorification of Oct. 7 violence against Jewish people, that crosses the line,’” Roefaro stated, as was noted in The Post report. Roefaro also criticized the reliance on statements attributed to unnamed sources, dismissing the accusations as “hearsay.”

The controversy highlights an ongoing debate within American politics over how leaders and institutions address rising anti-Semitism and protect free speech while ensuring student safety. In the wake of heightened tensions on college campuses, many students, particularly those of Jewish descent, have voiced concerns about their wellbeing and the responses of university administrations. Columbia University has faced particular scrutiny for a lackluster approach to anti-Semitic incidents on campus. This criticism intensified following the October 7 Hamas attack, which sparked renewed calls for accountability.

Here’s a professor attending the celebration of the October 7 Massacre at @Columbia.

When he realized the body cam was on, he said “fuck you” and left.

This is not a peaceful protest.

They literally held a sign saying “no peace” and another glorifying the massacre. pic.twitter.com/LZyMzwiZZF

— Shai Davidai (@ShaiDavidai) October 8, 2024

The report’s release is part of a larger effort by the committee to investigate anti-Israel protests and university responses across 11 colleges, focusing on issues of safety, administration responses, and the political dynamics influencing these decisions. The Post report said that the committee’s findings have fueled calls for stricter measures against anti-Semitism on campus, as well as calls for transparency from university leaders on policies regarding hate speech and violence. Columbia University, whose administration sought to avoid drawing attention to the incidents, is seen as emblematic of the challenges elite universities face in balancing campus safety with freedom of expression.

#NEW Mass Arrests INSIDE Columbia University as hundreds of cops Flood to Clear the Encampment and the Occupied Hamilton Hall.

Video by Olga Fe [email protected] to license https://t.co/EBpaxuhPBA pic.twitter.com/jB0uTzyuEa

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) May 1, 2024

This latest controversy adds to an already contentious landscape as anti-Semitism becomes a growing point of concern in American politics. As The Post report notes, Schumer has previously spoken out against campus anti-Semitism, but this report has raised questions about whether his private communications align with his public stance.

According to The Post, the report contends that Columbia trustees mocked the House Education and Workforce Committee’s review of their oversight, texting about their hope for Democratic control of Congress following a discussion between then-president Minouche Shafik and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The exchange reveals that Shafik described Schumer as “very positive and supportive (and quite the storyteller),” in a message with Board of Trustees co-chairs David Greenwald and Claire Shipman.

The report suggests that Schumer’s support emboldened Columbia’s leadership to forgo addressing criticisms from Republicans regarding the campus’s anti-Semitic climate. As detailed in The Post, Schumer’s team reportedly indicated that meeting with Republicans was unnecessary, advice that Greenwald appeared to echo by texting, “If we are keeping our head down, maybe we shouldn’t meet with Republicans.” This stance has fueled allegations that Columbia’s administration was not only passive in the face of rising hostility toward Jewish students but actively avoided engagement with critics who questioned their approach to campus safety and inclusivity.

The Post report described disturbing accounts of harassment and violence that have become commonplace on Columbia’s campus. Jewish students have faced death threats, stalking, physical harassment, and other forms of intimidation. An August report from Columbia itself outlined the gravity of these incidents, describing a hostile environment where students had their jewelry ripped off for attending synagogue, faced verbal abuse for supporting Zionist causes, and witnessed Israeli flags being burned on campus, according to the information provided in The Post report. Anti-Israel demonstrators even barricaded themselves inside Hamilton Hall in April, renaming it “Hind’s Hall” after a Palestinian child, escalating tensions and forcing the university to call in law enforcement. Over 100 protesters were removed from the building after refusing to vacate, their actions sparking widespread concern about campus security and administrative response.

Ari Shrage, head of the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association, expressed frustration over Columbia’s failure to combat the wave of anti-Semitism on campus. “The report is more evidence of what we already knew: Columbia did not do their job to prevent antisemitism on campus,” he told The Post. Shrage further criticized Columbia’s leadership, asserting that “many of its insiders are part of the deep institutional rot,” and referred to their responses as “another ‘word salad,’” expressing dismay over the lack of substantial action against the hostility faced by Jewish students. According to Shrage and other critics, the university’s statements about inclusivity and safety have been rendered hollow by a pattern of inaction and indifference.

The report comes amid a troubling start to the new school year. In September, additional protests targeted Columbia’s campus, where anti-Israel demonstrators defaced the university’s Alma Mater statue with red paint, The Post report noted. Such acts have only intensified criticism of Columbia’s administration, particularly from those who see the lack of response as a tacit endorsement of the hostility directed at Jewish students.

The report has also ignited responses from political figures, including New York Republican Senate candidate Mike Sapraicone, who accused Democrats of failing to confront anti-Semitism and excusing violence for political convenience.

Sapraicone, who seeks to replace Schumer’s Senate colleague in New York, expressed his frustration in an interview with The New York Post. “The recent report from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce demonstrates how the Democrats speak out of both sides of their mouths,” he stated. “The reports of Sen. Schumer dismissing blatant violence and anti-Semitism are exactly why I’m running to replace his counterpart, who is just a rubber stamp. Election Day will prove that Americans won’t tolerate this any longer.”

The House report centers on how universities managed public responses to the October 7 attack by Hamas, in which over 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed. According to The Post, the report accuses Ivy League university leaders of deliberately omitting strong language condemning the attack or mentioning the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. An early draft statement, obtained by the committee, reportedly included the phrase “We denounce this act of terror,” but the committee asserts that university administrators chose to exclude it from official communications, softening the message and avoiding overt condemnation of the violence.

The report also claims that several prestigious schools also withheld explicit support for Jewish students, despite an atmosphere where many reported experiencing hostility and violence. Allegations within the report suggest an unwillingness among some university leaders to openly address or denounce the violence surrounding these incidents, instead choosing language that minimized the gravity of the situation.

The revelations have intensified calls from conservative voices and advocates for stronger responses to campus anti-Semitism. Critics argue that the failure to label such actions as terrorism or denounce specific perpetrators emboldens hostility toward Jewish students, many of whom feel targeted for their beliefs. Sapraicone’s remarks reflect broader concerns that some political leaders may prioritize political alliances over openly condemning anti-Semitism, signaling to universities that restrained language is preferable when addressing such incidents.

As scrutiny around these issues continues, Columbia University has yet to respond to requests for comment from The New York Post. With accusations mounting, both within and beyond the Columbia community, calls for clear stances against campus anti-Semitism and increased protections for Jewish students have gained new momentum.