Cornell University has appointed Sally Yates, a former deputy attorney general under the Obama administration who was dismissed by President Donald Trump, to conduct an independent evaluation of the university’s handling of sexual assault claims.
This decision comes amid increasing scrutiny surrounding Cornell’s reaction to an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in October 2024. As part of her independent investigation, Yates, alongside her firm King & Spalding, will review Cornell’s internal documents. These include case files, oversight records for Greek organizations, as well as communications with law enforcement and disciplinary hearing records.
Sally Yates has a long tenure in the Justice Department and is notably recognized for her confrontations with Trump and her role in the Russia investigation.
Sally Yates’ Career and Clashes with Trump
Yates was nominated by President Barack Obama as deputy attorney general in January 2015, with the Senate confirming her nomination in an 84-12 vote just a few months later. Before this role, she had served as the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia since 2010, having been appointed by Obama.
CORNELL PRESIDENT SAYS UNIVERSITY ‘MUST DO BETTER’ ON HANDLING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
When Trump took office, his administration asked Yates to serve as acting attorney general while Jeff Sessions awaited Senate confirmation. Unfortunately, her time in this role was short—lasting only 10 days.
Yates was dismissed on January 30, 2017, after she instructed Justice Department lawyers not to defend Trump’s executive order that limited travel and refugee admissions from several predominantly Muslim nations. The White House stated, “The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States.”
In response, Yates argued that she did not believe the order was lawful, asserting, “My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is after consideration of all the facts.”
Yates returned to the spotlight in May 2017 when she testified before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. During her testimony, she revealed warnings she had provided to White House Counsel Don McGahn about Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security adviser, just before her firing.
CORNELL RAPE ALLEGATIONS PROMPT NY ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES TO OPEN ‘ACTIVE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION’
Flynn had inappropriately discussed sanctions against Russia with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, which had been denied publicly by then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence. After reviewing FBI intelligence, Yates alerted McGahn that Flynn had misled top officials and might be targeted for blackmail by Moscow due to the discrepancies in his statements.
Flynn resigned days later and eventually pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
Before her conflicts with Trump, Yates spent 27 years in the Justice Department, taking on cases involving fraud and public corruption. She also led the prosecution against Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph, a case that was notably mentioned during her appointment as deputy attorney general.
In May 2018, Yates returned to King & Spalding as a partner and conducted an independent investigation into sexual misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League, commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation in October 2021. This inquiry involved over 200 interviews and revealed widespread abuse along with significant failures by teams in addressing complaints.
The findings, released in October 2022, indicated that coaches who faced allegations were still in positions despite prior complaints. Yates recommended enhanced background checks and improved accountability measures.
Cornell University Investigations
Cornell stated that it chose Yates and her firm due to their expertise in higher education and their extensive history with independent investigations involving boards and institutions.
INSIDE EXPLOSIVE CORNELL RAPE ALLEGATIONS: 7 MEN ACCUSED, CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS AND A POLITICAL FIRESTORM
By involving Yates, a prominent figure who has had previous disagreements with Trump, Cornell is emphasizing the seriousness of the issue. This development comes just after New York Attorney General Letitia James, known for her civil fraud case against Trump, was appointed to oversee another state investigation into the situation.
The university had already investigated the alleged incident, resulting in suspensions and expulsions for several students associated with it. A lawsuit against Cornell by the alleged victim has reignited public interest and led to renewed questioning about the university’s approach to the matter.
The investigations led by James and Yates have distinct focuses. While James will investigate the central allegation, Yates’ review will encompass Cornell’s overall policies regarding sexual assault and dating violence.
The university expressed, “As part of that broader mandate, Yates and her team will conduct a detailed review of the university’s response to the allegations involving Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024, including whether Cornell followed its policies and procedures in responding to the matter.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Yates for further comments.
