Protection racket turns out not to be selling protection
By 
Let’s see how the bet of the Columbia administration that if they gave Trump administration a payoff they’d go away is paying off:
The Trump administration attacked Columbia University’s accreditation, arguing the school is in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws.
The Education Department told the organization through which Columbia is accredited that the school has violated civil rights law over its handling of campus antisemitism, and no longer appears to meet the standards for accreditation.
The move doesn’t revoke Columbia’s accreditation—without which the university would be virtually unable to operate—but is a significant escalation of the government’s battle with the school. The government urged the accreditor to work with the school to make sure it comes into compliance with federal law, and “take appropriate action” if Columbia fails to do so.
“After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “This is not only immoral, but also unlawful.”
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which accredits Columbia, said it had received the letter but had no comment. Columbia said it is aware of the government’s concerns and has addressed them directly with the accreditor.
“Columbia is deeply committed to combatting antisemitism on our campus. We take this issue seriously and are continuing to work with the federal government to address it,” a spokesperson said.
The move comes as the school is engaged in negotiations with the Trump administration over the future of its federal funding—and autonomy.
Who could have anticipated this, except for anyone with even a passing familiarity of Trump’s career, ever seen an episode of the Sopranos, etc. etc. This should, however, serve as a glaring cautionary tale to every other institution the administration tries to shake down going forward.
…In related news, another attempt to evade the courts to inflict arbitrary and xenophobic punishments on Harvard:
President Trump said on Wednesday that he would prevent Harvard University’s international students from entering the country, announcing an aggressive move six days after a federal judge said she would halt the administration’s efforts to disqualify those students from receiving visas.
Mr. Trump, in the same proclamation, also urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider revoking current visas for Harvard students.
A spokesman for Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Thursday, Judge Allison D. Burroughs of the District of Massachusetts said she would block an effort by the Department of Homeland Security to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students. The administration’s move was part of its attempt to undermine the university’s finances and global influence. About one-fourth of Harvard’s student body comes from other countries.