Former WSU employee sentenced to 1 week in jail over assaulting student for wearing Trump hat

A former Washington State University (WSU) teaching assistant has been sentenced to jail time and probation after assaulting a student during a politically charged confrontation on campus.

Patrick Mahoney, a graduate student and teaching assistant, was sentenced to one week in jail and one year of probation for attacking junior Jay Sani, who was wearing a Donald Trump hat when the incident occurred. Mahoney is a far-left activist who has been involved with the Democratic Socialists of America and various progressive labor groups. He has publicly signaled his allegiance to communism, posing in his official school portrait wearing a hammer and sickle pin.

Mahoney is also a familiar figure at pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstrations. Recently, he was part of a failed local campaign urging the Pullman City Council to pass a ceasefire resolution in the Israel-Hamas war.

Court records show Mahoney grabbed Sani’s hat, wrestled him to the ground with the help of WSU staff member Gerald Hoff, and struck him in the jaw. Sani also told police that Mahoney slammed his head against the pavement.

Surveillance cameras captured the February assault outside The Coug, a popular campus bar, leaving Sani with scrapes and bruises. Mahoney later admitted to The Spokesman-Review that he made a “poor, impulsive decision.” The judge overseeing the case called his actions “unprovoked and concerning.”

Both Mahoney and Hoff were arrested by Pullman Police within hours of the assault and charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree assault. Along with his jail sentence and probation, Mahoney has been ordered to pay Sani $30 in restitution and more than $560 to the Washington State Crime Victims Compensation Program. His probation requires him to undergo a mental health and anger management evaluation, as well as complete any recommended treatment.

In a statement to The Seattle Times, WSU Vice President of Marketing and Communications Phil Weiler stressed that the university supports freedom of speech but does not condone violence. “While WSU remains committed to the freedom of speech and expression for all members of our university community, we will not tolerate acts of violence or hate speech,” Weiler said.

Following the arrests, both Mahoney and Hoff were terminated from their university positions. “After an investigation conducted by the City of Pullman’s police department, and in accordance with WSU policies, the staff member’s employment has been terminated,” Weiler noted. Mahoney, who had been serving as a teaching assistant, was “relieved of all teaching responsibilities.” Hoff avoided jail time but paid Sani $4,000 in restitution.

Weiler added, “WSU remains committed to fostering a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We take every complaint and concern seriously and will continue to address such matters with the utmost priority.”

Sani, who is active in conservative student groups such as Turning Point USA, told the Discovery Institute’s Jonathan Choe that he had no history with Hoff but did have prior conflicts with Mahoney.

Republican Congressman Michael Baumgartner, a WSU alumnus representing Eastern Washington, said following the incident that the attack represented a serious threat to free speech on campus. “Our campuses should be places of free expression, not political violence. WSU must act swiftly to protect students and uphold the values of civility, safety, and constitutional freedom.”