House committee subpoenas Harvard leaders, says the university is 'obstructing' anti-Semitism probe

The chairwoman of the House education committee issued subpoenas to several Harvard University leaders after the institution failed to produce requested documents in its investigation into campus anti-Semitism.

Rep. Dr. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the subpoenas on Friday morning to Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker, Interim President Dr. Alan Garber, and Harvard Management Company’s Chief Executive Officer N.P. Narvekar. The subpoenas come days after the committee received a batch of documents from Harvard, as reported by Campus Reform.

”Harvard has repeatedly failed to satisfy the Committee’s requests within a reasonable timeframe, despite being afforded several accommodations, including being given the opportunity to submit productions on a rolling basis, being offered multiple deadline extensions, and having priority documents identified by the Committee,” Foxx wrote to all three Harvard leaders. “As detailed in the Committee’s February 7, 2024, letter, the limited and obfuscatory nature of the productions that Harvard has provided in the last month has made clear that it is not treating this congressional inquiry with appropriate seriousness.”

In the letter, Foxx accused Harvard of obstructing the investigation.

[RELATED: Harvard finally hands over docs in anti-Semitism investigation, may still face subpoena]

”Given Harvard’s vast resources and the urgency with which it should be addressing the scourge of antisemitism, the evidence suggests that the school is obstructing this investigation and is willing to tolerate the proliferation of antisemitism on its campus,” Foxx added.

The subpoena, issued by Foxx, gives Harvard until March 4 at 5 p.m. to turn over the documents.

“I am extremely disappointed in the path that Harvard has chosen to take in the Committee’s investigation. Over the course of this investigation, Harvard has touted its willingness to work with the Committee, citing the thousands of pages of documents it has produced. But, of the 2,516 pages of documents Harvard has produced in response to the Committee’s antisemitism inquiry to date, at least 1,032—over 40 percent—were already publicly available. Quality—not quantity—is the Committee’s concern,” Foxx said in a statement.

Harvard spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain told the Harvard Crimson that the subpoena is “unwarranted,” adding that it “remains committed to cooperating with the Committee.”

“Given the breadth and extensive nature of the information Harvard has provided to the Committee, it is unfortunate that the Committee has chosen to issue a subpoena,” Swain said. “Harvard has provided fulsome and good faith responses across ten (10) submissions totaling more than 3,500 pages that directly address key areas of inquiry put forward by the Committee.”

[RELATED: House committee requests documents from Harvard on anti-Semitism response, gives two week deadline]

Swain added that Harvard remains “steadfast in our commitment to combating antisemitism, in whatever form it manifests itself and our ongoing efforts to ensure that Jewish students feel safe, valued, and embraced at Harvard.”

 Initially, Foxx requested the following documents from Harvard, which include several additional items: 

• ”All reports of antisemitic acts or incidents and related documents and communications since January 1, 2021, as well as all documents and communications related to specified incidents, including the harassment and assault of a Jewish MBA student on October 18, 2023;
• All documents and communications since January 1, 2021, referring and relating to antisemitism, involving the Harvard Corporation and Harvard Board of Overseers (including all fellows and members), as well as minutes of Harvard Corporation and Board of Overseers meetings;
• Documents sufficient to show the findings and results of any disciplinary processes, changes in academic status, or personnel actions by Harvard towards Harvard students, employees, and other Harvard affiliates related to conduct involving the targeting of Jews, Israelis, Israel, Zionists, or Zionism since January 1, 2021; and
• Documents sufficient to show any efforts by Harvard students, faculty, and staff to engage in the BDS movement against Israel since January 1, 2021, and communications by Harvard administrators relating to such efforts.”