State Attorney General Letitia James, who has been a member of the faculty at Columbia University since 2021, recently criticized the anti-Israel student encampment at the university. She expressed concern over the situation escalating into hate and antisemitic violence, which she stated would not be tolerated. Despite the controversy surrounding the event, James continues to teach a class on public management innovation as part of the Executive MPA program for graduate students, co-teaching with William Eimicke, a veteran of Gov. Mario Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg’s administrations.
James received a $15,000 paycheck for her part-time teaching job in 2023, and is expected to earn $20,000 for teaching the course again in 2024. Critics have called on James to resign from her faculty position at Columbia University due to the widespread antisemitism on campus and criticism of the administration’s response to it. There are concerns that her office, which has the authority to prosecute hate crimes, could potentially be in a conflict of interest. One of James’ former political opponents, Michael Henry, has urged her to prioritize the interests of New Yorkers and to reaffirm her commitment to serving as Attorney General with undivided loyalty and integrity.
Despite the calls for her to resign from her teaching position, James has chosen to continue teaching at Columbia University. The university has faced controversy after students erected an anti-Israel tent encampment on campus, leading to calls for Columbia President Nemat Shafik to resign. President Shafik initially called in the NYPD to clear out the student protesters but has since engaged in negotiations with them. The situation at Columbia has drawn attention from various political figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Amidst the turmoil at Columbia University, Khymani James, a leader of the protests, was captured in a video making antisemitic remarks. While there are concerns that potential hate crimes may be occurring on campus, Letitia James’ office has not taken any action regarding the situation. She has announced plans to recuse herself from any investigation involving Columbia University. Despite the criticism and controversy, James’ office emphasized that she believes her teaching role at Columbia can have a positive impact on students, especially during a time when such impact is greatly needed.
Despite the ongoing uproar at Columbia University, Attorney General Letitia James has chosen to continue her teaching role at the institution. While facing calls to resign due to the antisemitism and hate crimes occurring on campus, James remains committed to her responsibilities as a faculty member and as the State Attorney General. The situation at Columbia, including the anti-Israel student encampment and subsequent controversies, continues to attract attention from various figures, with differing perspectives on how to address the issues at the university.
