Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, and the California Legislative Jewish Caucus stated that the Trump administration’s proposed $1 billion settlement with the University of California system over campus Jew-hatred is a “political shakedown.”
“This isn’t about protecting Jewish students. It’s a $1 billion political shakedown from the pay-to-play president,” the governor, state officials and Jewish legislators stated. “Trump has weaponized the Department of Justice to punish California, crush free thinking and kneecap the greatest public university system in the world.”
James Milliken, president of the university system, stated on Friday that the proposed settlement would “completely devastate” the University of California.
The signatories of the statement, all Democrats, include the Jewish caucus co-chairs Scott Wiener and Jesse Gabriel, a state senator and state representative, respectively, as well as the state’s lieutenant governor and attorney general. The speaker of the state Assembly and president of the state Senate also participated.
“As Jewish leaders and strong allies, we are united against Trump’s assault and will fight like hell, because California will not bow to this kind of disgusting political extortion,” they stated.
The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California, an umbrella group, stated that it “strongly opposes” the frozen federal funds and that “California’s leadership, the UC system and UCLA have taken steps to counter antisemitism and ensure the safety and inclusion of Jewish students and faculty.”
“Substantial work remains to effectively fight antisemitism on campus,” JPAC said. “However, cutting vital federal research funding or imposing a $1 billion penalty would instead harm students, disrupt life-saving research, threaten economic growth and undermine one of the nation’s most respected public university systems.”
The proposed settlement would also “drive a wedge between the Jewish community and other vulnerable groups that are harmed” and “divert public funds from other initiatives, including those that combat antisemitism and hate,” JPAC said. “This approach leaves everyone less safe.”
