By Kevin Kiley – May 2, 2024
Last week, I was at the Supreme Court to give California communities back the ability to clear tent encampments from parks and sidewalks. It looks promising. But in a sadly ironic twist, an even more disturbing type of encampment soon thereafter spread like wildfire.
Universities have allowed outside agitators, along with some troubled students and faculty, to unleash anarchy on their campuses. In a speech on the House Floor, I called on all California universities to work with law enforcement to immediately clear the encampments.
I spoke with Newsmax and Fox News about what needs to be done: clear the encampments, arrest lawbreakers, expel any students and dismiss any faculty – tenured or – who continue to break the law. Punishing all students by cancelling class or graduation is not the answer.
And following my request, the Education & Workforce Committee has expanded its investigation to California. Later this month, we are bringing in the Chancellor of UCLA to testify. I am closely monitoring California’s campuses and will hold administrators accountable for inaction.
Newsom, for his part, has been silent, failing to even condemn the encampments. The Governor’s lack of leadership is as appalling as it is unsurprising; he is more concerned about offending anarchists than protecting California students.
Meanwhile, I chaired most of our committee’s hearing with Julie Su, the “Acting” Secretary of Labor and Newsom alum. We defeated Su’s nomination, yet she’s clung to power anyway for a record 418 days. You can watch the moment yesterday when I bluntly told Su to resign.
Meanwhile, the LA Times reports three leading California politicians – the Mayors of LA and San Jose, along with Adam Schiff – have all experienced crime first-hand the last few weeks. Perhaps that’s one reason the End Prop. 47 initiative now has bipartisan support.
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Kevin Kiley is a California Congressman
