Columbia University Dismisses Professor Following Congressional Inquiry by Representative Stefanik
Columbia University's former president, Minouche Shafik, stated during a U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing that Professor Mohamed Abdou would 'never work at Columbia again' and had been terminated. This declaration followed questioning by Representative Elise Stefanik, who referenced pro-Palestinian social media posts made by Professor Abdou after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel. Stefanik highlighted a specific post from October 11 where Abdou allegedly stated, 'Yes. I'm with Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.' Shafik expressed 'repugnance' at these remarks and affirmed that faculty making antisemitic statements would face consequences. Professor Abdou, a visiting professor for the Spring 2024 academic term, subsequently sued Columbia University, alleging defamation, discrimination, and harassment. However, the court dismissed his lawsuit, ruling that Shafik's statements were non-actionable true statements of fact regarding his termination and that his claims ... 
