Senator Wiener Responds Trump’s Attempt to Extort UCLA for $1 Billion:
“The idea that UCLA would pay Trump tribute (California taxpayer dollars), adopt his bigoted policies, or give him even an ounce of control of the University’s operations turns my stomach and should turn the stomach of every Californian. I’m confident UCLA will not enter into such an agreement, since doing so would violate California law, would violate our state’s core values, and would be straight up morally unacceptable.”
SACRAMENTO – The Trump Administration reportedly asked UCLA for $1 billion and major anti-diversity, anti-trans, and anti-immigrant changes to UC policies as part of a settlement related to Administration investigations into antisemitism on campus. The UC system issued a statement saying they are reviewing the proposal, and saying the payout amount would “devastate” the UC system.
Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement in response:
“Trump is doing to UCLA what he’s been doing to so many major institutions in higher education, academia, the media, and health care: Threatening to illegally revoke funding — here, science funding — or take other punitive steps unless the university submits to his control, pays him off, and submits to his racist, transphobic, xenophobic dictates. It’s classic mob boss behavior, and far too many major institutions are caving to this fascist.
“UCLA is a California public university, grounded in California law and values. In California, we support trans people, we welcome immigrants, we celebrate our beautiful diversity, and we uphold academic freedom. We do not bow to fascist tactics.
“Trump is also, once again, attacking a university based on antisemitism. While there have been serious antisemitism issues at UCLA — and as co-chair of our Legislative Jewish Caucus I’ve worked with the University of California and others to put a stop to it — we’re addressing the issue here in California and have made progress. We don’t need Trump to take advantage of the situation for his own political gain. Trump doesn’t give a damn about Jews or antisemitism. He has antisemites in his Administration, he tried to elect a Nazi-aligned government in Germany, he dined with Nazi Nick Fuentes, and he spreads antisemitic conspiracy theories. Trump is now using Jews as human shields to achieve political goals having nothing to do with antisemitism. For example, revoking science research funding in the name of the Jews is utterly repulsive. In doing all this, Trump is making Jews less safe, and he’s making it harder for us to fight actual antisemitism.
“The idea that UCLA would pay Trump tribute (California taxpayer dollars), adopt his bigoted policies, or give him even an ounce of control of the University’s operations turns my stomach and should turn the stomach of every Californian. I’m confident UCLA will not enter into such an agreement, since doing so would violate California law, would violate our state’s core values, and would be straight up morally unacceptable.”
###