The ongoing lesson with these Trump institutional strong-arms seems to be that if you can survive the initial pressure, you’ll get everything you were pushing for. So much for “Art of the Deal”! The Trump administration has pulled no punches in their fight with Harvard University. Massive federal funding freezes, cutting their ability to host international students, and getting one of their graduates to handle the dirty work as additional salt in the wound. But Harvard isn’t the type of school to just take a beating and not fight back — what are they, Columbia? They’ve been fighting in court and it looks like the legal fees paid off. Yesterday, Judge Allison Burroughs of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that the President’s fund freeze was unconstitutional. In what has to be one of the most tame “give me my two point fucking six billion dollars” in history, Harvard has this to say:
A few hours ago, the US District Court granted Harvard’s motion for summary judgment, finding that the federal government’s freeze of University research funding was unlawful. The ruling affirms Harvard’s First Amendment and procedural rights, and validates our arguments in defense of the University’s academic freedom, critical scientific research, and the core principles of American higher education.
Even as we acknowledge the important principles affirmed in today’s ruling, we will continue to assess the implications of the opinion, monitor further legal developments, and be mindful of the changing landscape in which we seek to fulfill our mission.
An evenhanded response was the move to make here. Spending too much time hammering on your superiority and punching down on Trump is a great way to make an enemy out of a petty, vindictive man who is willing to commit to the bit out of spite; the last thing Harvard — or any of us, for that matter — needs right now is for this multibillion-dollar loss to be another Obama roast. This isn’t to say that Trump Team is going to put their legs between their legs and walk home. White House spokesperson Liz Huston shared that the administration intends to immediately appeal the decision.
Big win for Harvard!
An Update on Our Litigation [Harvard]
Harvard Law Graduate Is Helping Trump Attack Her Alma Mater
Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s . He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who is learning to swim, is interested in critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.
The post Harvard Just Defrosted Trump’s Multibillion-Dollar Funding Freeze appeared first on Above the Law.
The ongoing lesson with these Trump institutional strong-arms seems to be that if you can survive the initial pressure, you’ll get everything you were pushing for. So much for “Art of the Deal”! The Trump administration has pulled no punches in their fight with Harvard University. Massive federal funding freezes, cutting their ability to host international students, and getting one of their graduates to handle the dirty work as additional salt in the wound. But Harvard isn’t the type of school to just take a beating and not fight back — what are they, Columbia? They’ve been fighting in court and it looks like the legal fees paid off. Yesterday, Judge Allison Burroughs of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that the President’s fund freeze was unconstitutional. In what has to be one of the most tame “give me my two point fucking six billion dollars” in history, Harvard has this to say:
A few hours ago, the US District Court granted Harvard’s motion for summary judgment, finding that the federal government’s freeze of University research funding was unlawful. The ruling affirms Harvard’s First Amendment and procedural rights, and validates our arguments in defense of the University’s academic freedom, critical scientific research, and the core principles of American higher education.
Even as we acknowledge the important principles affirmed in today’s ruling, we will continue to assess the implications of the opinion, monitor further legal developments, and be mindful of the changing landscape in which we seek to fulfill our mission.
An evenhanded response was the move to make here. Spending too much time hammering on your superiority and punching down on Trump is a great way to make an enemy out of a petty, vindictive man who is willing to commit to the bit out of spite; the last thing Harvard — or any of us, for that matter — needs right now is for this multibillion-dollar loss to be another Obama roast. This isn’t to say that Trump Team is going to put their legs between their legs and walk home. White House spokesperson Liz Huston shared that the administration intends to immediately appeal the decision.
Big win for Harvard!
An Update on Our Litigation [Harvard]
Harvard Law Graduate Is Helping Trump Attack Her Alma Mater
Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s . He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who is learning to swim, is interested in critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.
The post Harvard Just Defrosted Trump’s Multibillion-Dollar Funding Freeze appeared first on Above the Law.
