"Virginia Democrats want George Mason University board rector Charles Stimson to recuse himself from federal investigations into the university as well as discussions about the university president's future, saying that his role at the Heritage Foundation, which recently released a report critical of GMU, presents a conflict of interest. The letter comes almost two weeks after a state Senate committee blocked 14 gubernatorial appointments to university boards, including six at GMU, which left the Board of Visitors without a quorum."
"The Trump administration has accused GMU of engaging in discriminatory hiring practices and implementing "unlawful DEI policies" and has opened several investigations into the university. However, GMU president Gregory Washington has stood his ground, arguing that the federal government rushed the investigation and disputing its findings while rejecting calls to personally apologize. Now, as GMU's Board of Visitors is stuck without a quorum while a legal challenge over the appointments plays out, state Democrats are seeking to neutralize Stimson in his role as rector."
"Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell and other top Democrats in the Senate, L. Louise Lucas and Mamie E. Locke, specifically took issue with the Heritage report's call to "withhold federal taxpayer funds from universities that violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964," which the Education Department accused GMU of doing. State Democrats argued that Stimson's employer is essentially seeking to harm the university."
Virginia Democrats asked George Mason University board rector Charles Stimson to recuse himself from federal investigations and from board discussions about the university president's future, citing his role at the Heritage Foundation and a potential conflict of interest. The Heritage Foundation recently released a report critical of GMU that urged withholding federal taxpayer funds from universities that violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A state Senate committee blocked 14 gubernatorial appointments to university boards, including six at GMU, leaving the Board of Visitors without a quorum. The Trump administration opened investigations alleging discriminatory hiring and unlawful DEI policies. GMU president Gregory Washington disputed the findings and rejected calls to apologize.
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