A report suggests that some Harvard students, whose prestigious law journals were allegedly selected based on race, faced retaliation for their roles, leading to a federal inquiry.
Daniel Wasserman received “official responsibilities” related to the legal review and was instructed to eliminate documents he had previously shared with the media, as reported by a news outlet.
Confidential materials shared among students seemed to include a request stating, “The parties to whom you share confidential materials should equally delete or return them,” indicating serious concerns about data handling.
Just two days later, Wasserman was informed of being officially deemed guilty of responsibilities, even with existing federal protections for whistleblowers.
“This formal responsibility will inform you that your actions are in violation,” read a disciplinary note issued by the journal, dated May 22.
Wasserman was warned that further violations could lead to additional sanctions.
Interestingly, only five days after the Justice Department got involved and condemned threats against witnesses, those responsibilities were rescinded.
Initial claims indicated that the legal review was not aware of Wasserman’s cooperation with government entities. However, a letter from the government dated May 12 instructed him to act as a “cooperative witness.”
The journal claimed it was merely asking Wasserman to destroy copies of files he allegedly circulated, not the originals stored on the school’s server.
Wasserman reportedly shared thousands of documents that suggested the legal review favored racial quotas over academic qualifications in selecting editors and publications.
A memo from 2024 indicated apparent support from the legal review’s editor for an author focusing on “Women of Color,” based on a framework of meeting “our priorities.”
The Trump administration had initiated inquiries into these allegations in April, although there was no mention of Wasserman’s impending role in the White House.
Wasserman is presently working for Stephen Miller, who leads significant deportation initiatives. According to reports, he was offered the position on April 25, coinciding with the surfacing of allegations regarding discrimination within the legal review.
By the time Saturday rolled around, Wasserman had reached out for a statement from the White House, but there wasn’t an immediate response.
A spokesperson earlier declined to go into detail about Wasserman’s job but acknowledged his bravery in a public statement.
“Harvard breached federal law with its discriminatory practices, and students were courageous enough to hold them accountable,” the statement asserted, highlighting the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation into these violations.
The legal review also didn’t respond to requests for comments, but the journal’s president issued a clarifying statement earlier, outright denying any racial discrimination claims and asserting the media’s misrepresentation of the journal’s processes.
Harvard has emphasized that even though the journal operates independently, the university remains committed to ensuring all its programs comply with legal standards and investigating any suspected violations thoroughly.
