Obama lobbied to keep Claudine Gay as Harvard pres despite antisemitism, plagiarism allegations: report

A new report has revealed that former President Barack Obama has privately lobbied for support of Harvard President Claudine Gay, who came under fire for statements made during a congressional hearing on antisemitism, and then for allegations of plagiarism.

"According to a source familiar with the matter," The Jewish Insider wrote, "Obama, a Harvard graduate, had privately lobbied on Gay’s behalf as she faced pressure to resign in the wake of her disastrous appearance before the congressional hearing on antisemitism."

“It sounded like people were being asked to close ranks to keep the broader administration stable — including its composition,” said the source, "who was informed of Obama’s outreach and asked to speak anonymously to discuss a confidential matter," per Jewish Insider.

Gay claimed, during the hearing, along with heads of other prestigious universities, that antisemitic speech and speech calling for violence against Jewish people were protected by free speech.

"It sounded like people were being asked to close ranks to keep the broader administration stable — including its composition," a source told the Jewish Insider.

The Harvard Corporation, chaired by former commerce secretary under Obama Penny Pritzker, ultimately decided to defend Gay, saying in a joint statement, "Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing."

It was later revealed by Christopher Rufo that Gay plagiarized numerous publications she wrote, leading to more calls for resignation.

"I wish I didn't have to say this and have hesitated to do so (more culture war ugliness), but Claudine Gay has to go," Alex Berenson said.

Columbia University professor John McWhorter wrote in a Thursday New York Times op-ed, "Harvard’s president, Claudine Gay, should resign."

"I don’t love thinking so and hoped we would not reach this tipping point in the controversy over whether she should be retained in her position. But a tipping point it is," he added, noting Harvard’s clear plagiarism policies, which the university said she didn’t violate.

Attorney Alan Dershowitz wrote for the Boston Globe, "By the standard that Gay herself seemed to apply in the Sullivan case, she should resign from her role as president of Harvard," referencing Harvard professor Ronald Sullivan, who played a role in Harvey Weinstein’s defense during his sexual assault case.