Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) urges President Joe Biden to visit a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University. He believes there has been a lack of strong leadership as the protests gain national attention. Johnson personally visited Columbia University last week and then reached out to the White House, asking President Biden to see the protests for himself. However, the Speaker did not immediately connect with Biden on this matter. Johnson emphasized the importance of identifying right from wrong and good from evil in the situation.
.@SpeakerJohnson urges Biden to visit campus protests: ‘Time for decisive leadership’ https://t.co/9AkvRFlbKg https://t.co/9AkvRFlbKg
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 1, 2024
Lawmakers from both political parties have condemned the protests at Columbia University and other college campuses across the country. They have even called for the resignation of university officials if they cannot stop the protests, which have caused fear among some Jewish students and led some students to leave the campus.
Columbia officials have been in discussions with student organizers on how to comply with university rules, but President Minouche Shafik noted that an agreement has not been reached.
The protests have sparked concern due to antisemitic chants and signs at some demonstrations. While some student organizers argue that this behavior is unrelated to their cause and has come from outside groups, both Republicans and Democrats have expressed disapproval of the protests. The House is expected to address a proposal to solidify a Trump-era executive order that would require the Education Department to treat antisemitism as a violation of the Civil Rights Act on college campuses. This bill may cause disagreement among House Democrats regarding what qualifies as antisemitic behavior.
