Sally Yates Appointed to Review Cornell University's Handling of Sexual Assault Allegations

<p>Cornell University has appointed Sally Yates, a former deputy attorney general under the Obama administration, to lead an independent review of the university's handling of sexual assault allegations. Yates was previously fired by President Donald Trump during his first term.</p><p>This appointment comes amid scrutiny of Cornell's response to an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in October 2024. Yates and her employer, King & Spalding, will have access to Cornell's internal documents, including case files, oversight records for Greek organizations, communications with law enforcement, and disciplinary hearing records.</p><p>Yates has decades of experience in the Justice Department and gained public attention for her confrontation with Trump and her role in the Russia investigation. She was nominated as deputy attorney general by President Barack Obama in January 2015 and confirmed by the Senate in May 2015 with an 84-12 vote. Prior to this role, she served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, appointed in 2010.</p><p>During the transition to Trump's administration, Yates was asked to remain as acting attorney general while Jeff Sessions awaited Senate confirmation, but she was dismissed after 10 days on January 30, 2017, for instructing Justice Department lawyers not to defend Trump's executive order restricting travel and refugee admissions from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The White House stated that she had 'betrayed the Department of Justice' by refusing to enforce the order, while Yates argued that she was not convinced the directive was lawful.</p><p>In May 2017, Yates testified before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee regarding Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, detailing warnings she had given about Trump's then-national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Flynn resigned shortly after her warnings and later pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.</p><p>Before her confrontation with Trump, Yates spent 27 years at the Justice Department, where she prosecuted white-collar fraud and public corruption cases, including leading the prosecution against Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph. After leaving the Justice Department, she returned to King & Spalding as a partner in May 2018 and led an independent investigation into sexual misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League, which uncovered widespread abuse and failures to address complaints.</p><p>Cornell stated that Yates and her firm were selected for their expertise in higher education and experience conducting independent investigations for boards and institutions. Yates' involvement in the case follows the appointment of New York Attorney General Letitia James to oversee a separate state investigation into the allegations.</p><p>Cornell had previously investigated the alleged assault, resulting in suspensions and expulsions of several students. A lawsuit filed against the university by the alleged victim has brought renewed attention to the case and raised questions about the university's response. The two investigations will have separate mandates: James' investigation will focus on the specific case, while Yates' review will assess Cornell's broader policies and handling of sexual assault and dating violence allegations.</p><p>Yates and her team will conduct a detailed review of Cornell’s response to the allegations involving Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity, including whether the university followed its policies and procedures in responding to the matter, according to a statement from the school.</p><p>Fox News Digital reached out to Yates for comment.</p>