Russia Hoax Figure Tapped by Cornell to Review Frat Rape Case

Cornell University has hired Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general, to lead an independent review of how the school handled sexual misconduct allegations connected to its Chi Phi fraternity. The first question is not about Yates. It is about what happened to the woman who filed the lawsuit.

What Is Alleged

A woman identified as Jane Doe sued in September, alleging that seven men drugged and raped her at the Chi Phi house on October 19, 2024. She says she gave a statement to police the following month and heard nothing afterward. The lawsuit names the seven men, the fraternity, Cornell, her sorority and a nightclub. The seven men named as defendants have denied the allegations. These are allegations in a lawsuit, not findings, and a court will have to sort them out. Gateway Pundit's account notes the case includes "confusing and contradictory evidence," including text messages that cut both ways.

What Cornell and Prosecutors Did

Cornell says it held a hearing in which a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days, and that expulsions and suspensions followed. The Chi Phi Xi chapter was banned from campus. One defendant's attorney confirmed his client received sanctions but not a suspension or expulsion. Specific punishments remain undisclosed under privacy policies.

Nearly two years after the alleged assault, prosecutors announced they were reopening the case. District Attorney Matthew Van Houten assigned a senior sex crimes prosecutor to examine it for a possible grand jury presentation.

The Pressure Campaign

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who sits on Cornell's board of trustees by virtue of her office, spoke with Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff and said, "I want answers. I want to know what happened." She added, "This culture has to stop." The Cornell Daily Sun published an editorial naming the accused men and criticizing university leadership, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned the university's response.

The Yates Appointment

On October 6, Anne Meinig Smalling, chair of the university's special committee, announced Yates's appointment. Cornell says Yates will conduct "a detailed review of the University's response to the allegations" and examine Cornell's "overall approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct."

Our Take

Now, the opinion. We think Yates is a poor symbol of independence for people who care about this administration. She was fired by Trump in 2017 after refusing to defend his immigration order in court, which Trump called insubordination. Many on the right still see her as a central figure in what they call the Russia hoax. That is our view, and it is a view, not a ruling. Her defenders will say a former acting attorney general is exactly the kind of senior legal figure a university needs for a credible outside review. That is a fair argument, and it is the one Cornell is making by hiring her.

The fair test is simple. Will the review be public? Will it name who failed this woman, whatever their politics? If Cornell publishes real answers, the pick will have been justified. If it produces a polished report and a press release, the name on the cover will not save it.