VA Dems reject Youngkin’s pick of anti-Semitism expert from George Mason Univ board amid troubling incidents
As George Mason University grapples with the latest incident of anti-Semitism linked to its campus in Fairfax, Virginia, Democrats in the Virginia state Senate have rejected the governor. Glenn Youngkin appointing one of the nation’s foremost scholars of anti-Semitism to its Board of Visitors.
Kenneth Marcus, founder of the Brandeis Center and former undersecretary in the Department of Education’s civil rights division, was one of several Youngkin nominees the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee struck out of consideration on a party-line vote.
The New York Times described Marcus as “the man who helped redefine anti-Semitism on campus,” and in an interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, he said he hoped to continue that work at GMU.
“It was disappointing to see Democratic senators block my nomination at exactly the same time that we were scoring a pretty significant victory over anti-Semitism in our Harvard University ” Marcus said, noting that he had been a GMU board member since mid-2024 without incident.
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George Washington University students participate in a solidarity camp in Gaza in collaboration with other universities in Washington, DC. (Getty)
“I can’t really think of anything I’ve done that has caused any controversy other than working to protect George Mason students from anti-Semitism,” he said, noting that the school has been struggling with the issue recently.
A GMU freshman IT major and Egyptian national is being investigated by the FBI on charges of distributing information about weapons to incite a violent crime and threatening a foreign official, according to NBC News.
Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, 18, of Falls Church, Virginia, allegedly tried to organize a bomb attack on the Israeli consulate in New York.
Leaders of Students for Justice in Palestine were also banned from the campus after police found “Death to the Jews” and “Death to America” signs along with firearms.
“This is a huge issue at George Mason right now with some very disturbing, high-profile issues,” Marcus said.
A person familiar with Youngkin’s thoughts on the situation said the governor has “kept his cool” and is not engaging publicly, but is angry about the Democrats’ move.
“He’s working quietly in hopes that Democratic senators will see their mistakes,” the person told Fox News Digital.
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Marcus said he has worked hard to combat anti-Semitism on campus in the seven months he has been on campus. “I was very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the administration and board of that institution to address a very serious problem that is going on here.”
Marcus said one item he has been working on is incorporating the definition of anti-Semitism into GMU’s anti-discrimination policy.
“Since I joined the board, the most significant thing I’ve done is work with the administration to incorporate the idea of a working definition of anti-Semitism into George Mason’s anti-discrimination policy. That was a huge step forward, and it was very disappointing to see members of the General Assembly react the way they did. they are,” he said.
The GMU was also the subject of anti-Zionist vandalism. Since last February, GMU President Gregory Washington said there have been at least 70 reports of incidents of anti-Semitism to administrators and acknowledged a federal investigation into the reported malicious activity.
“I’ve been asked on numerous occasions to stop student protests. Even when you’re protesting against me, I still support it because I support free speech,” Washington told The fourth estate student paper.
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Virginia State Capitol. (Getty)
The Senate P&E Committee also removed nominations for former Vice President Mike Pence, chief of staff Marc Short and Nina Rees, a senior official at the George W. Bush Presidential Library, as well as an education attorney from Richmond-based McGuire-Woods.
Richmond Republicans hope to return Marcus’ name to the list of confirmed candidates on Thursday, but a source suggested their path is unlikely without a 21-19 Senate Democratic defection.
Fox News Digital reached out to both Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovello, D-Alexandria, and Senate P&E Committee Chairman Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, about Marcus’ rejection.
