On Friday, the Trump administration canceled grants and contracts worth $400 million for Columbia University, due to "inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." The New York-based university has been riled in protests the past week following the expulsion of several students over their actions during pro-Palestinian protests dating back to last April. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told Newsmax on Saturday that the actions by the administration are not "a free speech issue," they are a "threat intimidation and harassment issue."
"A lot of people on the left are saying, well, wait a second, we've got free speech. You have free speech and even odious, vile, vitriolic speech can be protected. But here's the deal. It is criminal to threaten, intimidate, harass. It's also civilly wrong to commit libel and slander. We have restrictions on free speech. What they're engaging in there at Columbia and other universities is they're threatening, intimidating and in some cases actually committing violence against Jewish students and faculty. That has got to stop," Biggs said during an appearance on "Saturday Report."
The representative from Arizona's 5th congressional district noted that pulling funding is "the most fundamental way to get things done in America."
"And all these people want federal dollars. And it's time that the federal taxpayer, you and me, and the millions and hundreds of millions of people like us who pay taxes, we should not be funding this kind of dangerous speech. It isn't just speech. Again, it's actually threatening, intimidating, harassing. So yes, it has to bring we have to bring this horrible chapter to a close," Biggs added.
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James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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