BALTIMORE — Another major case with potential nationwide implications has ties to Maryland.
Since retaking the White House, President Donald Trump has vowed to hold American universities accountable for on-campus conduct of students and faculty, specifically when it comes to antisemitic acts and protests over the war in Gaza.
Recently, Trump's Department of Education issued a letter to Ivy League schools demanding civil rights laws be enforced, or else forego billions in federal funding.
Among the listed demands are reforms to university leadership and governance, and merit-based admissions and hiring policies.
Harvard University responded by refusing to comply, and announcing their intent to sue.
Leading the charge is Robert Hur, who served as U.S. Attorney of Maryland, under the first Trump Presidency.
"The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government," Hur's letter stated on behalf of Harvard. "Accordingly, Harvard will not accept the government’s terms as an agreement in principle."
Hur gained national notoriety in January 2023 when he was appointed Special Council to investigate classified documents found inside the home garage of former President Joe Biden.
While ultimately recommending no charges be filed, Hur's final report drew criticism from Democrats for describing Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
Hur was also tapped by former Governor Larry Hogan to lead a work group combating anti-Asian violence in Maryland.
