Pelosi Cancels Cornell Event

Nancy Pelosi Cancels Cornell Event Amid Scrutiny Over Rape Investigation

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has cancelled an event with the Cornell Institute of Politics and Global Affairs (IOPGA) due to "horrific sexual assault allegations and serious concerns about Cornell's response." The cancellation comes amid scrutiny over how the Ivy League institution handled a 2024 allegation of gang rape on its campus. State prosecutors have reopened an investigation after a former Cornell student filed a new lawsuit alleging she was drugged and gang raped inside a fraternity house in 2024. The woman, identified as Jane Doe in the suit, accuses seven members of the fraternity of drugging her and assaulting her for several hours when she was unable to consent. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten stated that criminal charges were not filed in 2024 because Jane Doe's original statement did not allege that she was intoxicated or gang raped. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has appointed state Attorney General Letitia James (D), as the special prosecutor in this case, citing "serious concerns" with how Cornell's police department and Van Houteden's initial investigation was handled.

Topics