DOJ college antisemitism investigations had predetermined conclusions: Whistleblower

A former Justice Department attorney has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that investigations into alleged antisemitism at Ivy League schools were carried out with predetermined conclusions and did not follow standard investigative procedures. According to the complaint filed with the House Judiciary Committee, senior officials at the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services deviated from established practices to ensure due process, accuracy, and legal compliance.

The whistleblower, Haley Van Erem, a former career attorney in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, claims that irregularities were present in the three investigations into Brown, Columbia, and Harvard universities. She alleges that senior officials made enforcement outcomes predetermined before evidence was collected, and that concerns raised by investigators were often disregarded.

The complaint also highlights cases where investigations concluded there were no violations, yet DOJ leadership still sought settlements. One case, Brown University's, resulted in a settlement where federal funds were partially restored, while the other two cases are currently in litigation. Van Erem alleges that she was admonished for creating a written record of her concerns and was told that her role as a career attorney was to provide policy advice, not legal advice.

Ranking Member Jamie Raskin of the House Judiciary Committee has expressed that these actions by the DOJ and HHS officials represent a pattern of harassment and intimidation rather than protection from discrimination. The Justice Department released a statement denying that Van Erem worked on university investigations while at the DOJ and affirmed their commitment to the integrity of their investigations.