Members of Congress flocked to the Columbia University campus on Monday amidst raucous protests over the Israel-Hamas war and concerns about the safety of Jewish students and faculty.
Why it matters: The lawmakers, who came as separate Democratic and Republican delegations, diverged on legislative solutions and whether Columbia President Minouche Shafik should resign.
- Shafik and other Columbia leaders testified to Congress on Wednesday about the university's handling of increasing reports of antisemitism.
What's happening: Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) toured the campus escorted by the school's vice president for public safety, Gerald Lewis.
- Afterwards, the four Jewish lawmakers held a press conference outside Columbia's Center for Jewish Life at which Gottheimer decried the protests as a "new low."
- Just down the block on 116th Street, Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.) held a press conference surrounded by staunch pro-Israel demonstrators.
What they're saying: "I think that the Jewish students here need to know that people do stand with them," D'Esposito told Axios in an interview.
- "Very often, unfortunately, in this city they hear from the louder voices that are against them, and I think it's time they see that there are elected officials, there are people in the media who support them."
- D'Esposito and Lawler signed onto a letter to Shafik with the rest of their New York Republican colleagues urging her to "step down immediately."
The other side: "I think it is very easy and very politically expedient to simply call for the resignation of anyone who does not do exactly right in every situation," Goldman told reporters.
- Goldman said he has seen "encouraging" statements and actions from Shafik and said she is "working towards resolving this problem."
- Still, Gottheimer said, "the pressure is on" for Shafik: "There has to be accountability … we're going to be watching every step of the way."
The latest: Unauthorized pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia entered their sixth day on Monday, including during the lawmakers' visit, after more than 100 activists were arrested on Thursday.
- Columbia official Cas Holloway, in an email to students on Sunday, announced enhancements to campus security going into this week, citing "extraordinarily challenging circumstances."
- In a separate email to students early Monday morning, Shafik announced a working group of Columbia deans, administrators and professors to "try to bring this crisis to a resolution," including through talks with protesters.
- Shafik also said there have "been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on campus," adding that antisemitism language is "unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken."
Zoom in: Manning called for the Biden administration to "take all steps necessary to keep Jewish students and faculty safe" and promoted her bipartisan bill to create a federal office dedicated to fighting antisemitism.
- Lawler and D'Esposito floated GOP legislation to restrict federal funds to colleges that "authorize antisemitic events" on campus: "These children are not entitled to it. It is a disgrace what is happening," said Lawler.
Axios' April Rubin contributed reporting for this story.
