Judge says Trump administration unlawfully blocked $2 billion from Harvard

"A review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country's premier universities, wrote Burroughs, an appointee of former President Barack Obama. Their actions have jeopardized decades of research and the welfare of all those who could stand to benefit from that research, as well as reflect a disregard for the rights protected by the Constitution and federal statutes, Burroughs added."

"A federal judge on Wednesday gave Harvard University a landmark victory in its fight against the Trump administration, siding with the Ivy League school in its effort to restore more than $2 billion in federal funding for research frozen by the White House. The decision from US District Judge Allison Burroughs rejects the administration's argument that it was targeting the university due to antisemitism on the school's campus."

US District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled in Harvard's favor, siding with the university in its effort to restore more than $2 billion in federal research funding frozen by the White House. Burroughs rejected the administration's argument that the university was targeted because of antisemitism, calling antisemitism a smokescreen for an ideologically-motivated assault on premier universities. The judge said the administration's actions jeopardized decades of research, the welfare of potential beneficiaries, and reflected disregard for constitutional and statutory rights. Harvard is the only university to sue directly; the White House plans to appeal and the dispute raises questions about academic freedom and financial uncertainty.

Read at www.mercurynews.com