In a significant political shift, Wall Street magnate Bill Ackman has announced his departure from the Democratic party, citing his ongoing battle against Harvard University and the rise of antisemitism on college campuses.
Ackman, a Jewish Harvard alumnus and prominent benefactor, has been fervently campaigning to reclaim American universities from the radical far-left, particularly challenging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. His crusade was sparked by an open letter signed by 34 Harvard student organizations, which expressed support for Hamas terrorists and held Israel accountable for the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
Ackman, 57, the founder and CEO of Perishing Square Capital Management, clarified his political stance, stating, "I am no longer a Democrat. I am a centrist. I care only about the truth." His remarks were in response to his endorsement of conservative author and DEI expert Chris Rufo's book, "America's Cultural Revolution: How the Radical Left Conquered Everything."
Rufo, in turn, expressed his delight that his book may have influenced Ackman's mission to reform universities. He described Ackman as a moderate Democrat and part of a growing group of elite defectors eager to dismantle DEI and restore colorblind equality.
Ackman confirmed that Rufo's book, which reveals the truth about DEI policies and the damage inflicted on higher institutions by radical far-left policies, had a profound impact on him, leading him to abandon the political party he believed was responsible for these policies. He stated, "I will vote for and support whoever is best for our country regardless of their party affiliation."
He further revealed that he had switched from independent to Democrat to vote in a New York democratic primary and may still be registered as a Democrat. However, he has made direct and PAC donations to three Republican candidates in the current election: Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy. He also recently wrote a check for Dean Phillips and hinted at future comments on the presidential election.
Ackman, who was a top donor to Harvard University before declaring that he had stopped all future donations due to the school's acceptance of antisemitism, praised Rufo's book as a "definite must-read." He described it as an excellent and meticulously researched book, the first he had read in years with a pen in hand to mark the most important passages.
Ackman and Rufo were key figures in the controversial campaign that led to the resignation of ex-Harvard President Claudine Gay last week. They accused Gay, who held the presidency for only six months, of being a "diversity hire" due to the Ivy League university's DEI policies. Gay resigned amid a series of allegations of antisemitism and plagiarism.
In a contentious congressional hearing in November, Gay was among three Ivy League presidents who declined to categorize calls for the genocide of Jews as harassment. The hearing sparked significant backlash and initiated the campaign to oust her. Gay's presidency was further jeopardized by Harvard University's poor response to the student organization's joint letter, which they initially refused to condemn.
Subsequent investigations into Gay, following the congressional hearing, revealed allegations of plagiarism in over 50 academic writings. These discoveries were first made by Chris Rufo and investigative journalist Chris Brunet.
Ackman, who recently published a 4,000-word essay arguing that anti-white DEI policies are causing division in the United States, claimed to have insider knowledge that Gay was a "diversity hire."
He stated, "I learned from someone with first-person knowledge of the Harvard president search that the committee would not consider a candidate who did not meet the DEI offices criteria."
He called for the closure of Harvard University's Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, which Gay established. He also suggested that Harvard should appoint "capable business people for the role of President" and called for the entire board to resign. He argued that the board should not be primarily composed of individuals who share the same politics and views about DEI.
He proposed that new board members should be selected in a transparent process with the assistance of the 30-person Board of Overseers. Despite her disgraceful resignation, Gay will retain her nearly $900,000 annual salary.
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