VA Dems reject Youngkin's antisemitism expert pick from George Mason Univ board amid troubling incidents

As George Mason University grapples with the latest incidental of antisemitism linked to its Fairfax, Virginia, campus, Democrats successful the Virginia State Senate rejected Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s information of 1 of the nation’s preeminent antisemitism scholars to its Board of Visitors.

Kenneth Marcus, the Brandeis Center's laminitis and a erstwhile undersecretary successful the Education Department's civilian rights division, was 1 of a fewer Youngkin nominees who were struck from information by the Senate Privileges & Elections Committee connected a party-line vote.

Marcus has been described by The New York Times arsenic "the antheral who helped redefine field antisemitism," and told Fox News Digital successful a Wednesday interrogation helium had hoped to proceed that enactment astatine GMU.

"It was disappointing to spot Democratic senators moving to artifact my information astatine precisely the aforesaid clip that we were achieving a reasonably important triumph implicit antisemitism successful our Harvard University case," Marcus said, noting helium had served without incidental connected the GMU committee since mid-2024.

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George Washington University students instrumentality portion successful a Gaza solidarity encampment successful conjunction with different Wasington, D.C.-area universities. (Getty)

"There’s truly thing that I tin deliberation of that I person done that would disturbance immoderate contention different than moving to support George Mason students from antisemitism," helium said, noting the schoolhouse has struggled with the contented arsenic of late.

A GMU freshman IT large and Egyptian nationalist is being investigated by the FBI connected charges of distributing accusation connected weapons successful furtherance of a convulsive transgression and threats against a overseas official, according to NBC News.

Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, 18, of Falls Church, Virginia, was allegedly trying to orchestrate a bombing of the Israeli Consulate successful New York City.

Leaders from Students for Justice successful Palestine were besides banned from field aft constabulary recovered "Death to Jews" and "Death to America" signage on with firearms.

"This is simply a immense contented close present astatine George Mason with immoderate precise disturbing high-profile issues happening," Marcus said.

A idiosyncratic acquainted with Youngkin’s thoughts connected the concern said the politician has "kept his cool" and is not engaging publically but is incensed astir the Democrats’ move.

"He is softly moving successful hopes Democratic senators are seeing the mistake of their ways," the idiosyncratic told Fox News Digital.

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Marcus said helium worked hard to combat antisemitism connected field successful the 7 months helium has been connected campus. "I person been precise pleased to person the accidental to enactment with the medication and committee of that instauration to code a precise superior occupation going connected here." 

Marcus said 1 point helium had been moving connected was incorporating antisemitism definitions into GMU’s anti-discrimination policy.

"Since I joined the board, the astir important happening I've done has been to enactment with the medication to incorporated the thought of a moving explanation of antisemitism into George Mason's anti-discrimination policy. That was a immense advance, and it's been precise influential. It was disappointing to spot members of the General Assembly respond arsenic they have," helium said. 

GMU has besides been taxable to anti-Zionist vandalism. As of past February, GMU President Gregory Washington said determination had been astatine slightest 70 antisemitism incidental reports to administrators and acknowledged a national probe into reported malign activity.

"I person been asked connected galore occasions to halt the pupil protests. Even erstwhile you’re protesting against me, I inactive enactment it due to the fact that I enactment state of speech," Washington told the Fourth Estate pupil newspaper.

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The Virginia State Capitol. (Getty)

The Senate P&E Committee besides removed nominations for erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence Chief of Staff Marc Short and Nina Rees, a elder authoritative for the George W. Bush Presidential Library, arsenic good arsenic an acquisition lawyer from the Richmond steadfast McGuire-Woods.

Richmond Republicans are hoping to adhd Marcus’ sanction backmost to the authorities listing confirmed nominees connected Thursday, but a root suggested their way remains improbable without immoderate Democrat defections successful the 21-19 Senate.

Fox News Digital reached retired to some Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Alexandria, and Senate P&E Committee Chair Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, astir Marcus’ rejection.