Latest news with #EqualEmploymentOpportunity
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
For one conservative, the rot at Harvard is so bad that Trump's drastic attacks are warranted
One of them is Ilya Shapiro, an accomplished conservative lawyer and Ivy grad himself, who knows all too personally why universities need deep reform. He's willing to entertain the Trump administration's approach, with some caveats. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Ilya Shapiro, a legal scholar, at his home in Falls Church, Va. in 2022. Kenny Holston/NYT Shapiro, now a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, became a conservative martyr to the cancel-culture craze in 2022. He was slated to start as a senior lecturer and executive director of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, but after after a Advertisement Now Shapiro believes that the kind of progressive rot he experienced goes so deep that it can only be solved by drastic action. While many see antisemitism as a pretext by the Trump administration to cripple Harvard, Shapiro sees it as 'the canary in the coal mine' for a deeper set of issues, like divisive DEI programming and race-based hiring and admissions, that violate the civil rights rules attached to federal funding. 'It starts with antisemitism and goes down to ideological indoctrination, intellectual corruption, and probably some misuse of funds,' he told me. 'And I think for a long time, universities have been lax in how they've been fulfilling their legal obligations. And it's at a crisis point that I think the Trump administration is justified in trying to make a drastic change.' I've been Advertisement While Harvard has taken some positive steps to address antisemitism and to 'I would like DEI bureaucracies to be completely dismantled,' he told me, arguing that they balkanize campuses. 'Just keep the people who are enforcing federal and civil rights laws, Equal Employment Opportunity, disability accommodations, those things that are actually required by law,' he said. Still, he wonders if the administration's approach could have been more productive. '[The administration] is going about what might be well-intended policies through unusual ways.' Like sending a demand list before completing any sort of investigation of discrimination. 'I don't know if I would have gone about this with a demand letter rather than doing a thorough investigation, having your factual backup there,' he said. He also worried that some of the demands were too vague, including the demand that Harvard adopt a vaguely defined viewpoint diversity. 'Those are the aspects of the demands that have the least explicit or precise textual connection to civil rights law or education law.' On the latest escalation to cut off access to visas for foreign students, Shapiro believes the administration could be demonstrating illegal retaliation and differential treatment. 'The targeting of Harvard, not treating all Ivy League schools or big recipients of federal funds … the same way shows that there's a punitive motive or some other improper motive.' But the depth of disgust among conservatives at places like Harvard shouldn't be underestimated. It might be tempting for Harvard's supporters, and liberals generally, to write off Trump's campaign against higher education as just a populist tantrum. But it goes deeper than that. Many elite conservatives — people who know the institutions personally and understand the potential harms — have concluded that only massive government pressure can bring balance back to campus. Advertisement Carine Hajjar is a Globe Opinion writer. She can be reached at
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
NYPD wants to claw back $200K in OT from cop who claims disgraced Chief Jeffrey Maddrey ‘coerced' her into sex
The NYPD is trying to claw back more than $200,000 in overtime paid to the female lieutenant who alleged the OT cash was used by disgraced ex-Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey to coerce her to perform sexual acts, The Post has learned. Lt. Quathisha Epps, a 19-year-vet who retired in December after The Post uncovered the scandal, was the department's highest paid cop last year. 'She was paid for work she did not do,' a police source said. 'She has received notice that she owes this money.' Epps called the NYPD demand that she pay back $231,890.75 retaliation for her blowing the whistle on the department's No. 2 cop. 'I will not be silenced,' she said. 'This isn't just my fight — it's the fight of every woman who dared to speak up and was punished for it. If the department — or anyone – believes they can erase what happened by attacking me, they've gravely underestimated the power of truth.' The demand was a result of an NYPD investigation into the overtime and involved Epps' direct supervisor, former Deputy Chief Paul Saraceno, who was fired last month, sources said. Saraceno was Maddrey's second in command and allegedly signed off on Epps' overtime retroactively, the sources said. Epps' lawyer, Eric Sanders, said the letter Epps received from the NYPD included no evidence that she didn't work the hours she claimed to work. 'The overtime issue is a red herring—manufactured to distract from the real legal and moral crisis inside the NYPD,' Sanders said. 'Under New York labor law, the burden is on the employer to maintain accurate records, not the employee.' The Post revealed in November that Epps pulled in $403,515 in fiscal year 2024, including $204,453.48 in overtime pay on top of her base salary of $164,477, according to city payroll records. 'This kind of a gross abuse is a slap in the face to the hardworking men and women of the NYPD who are actually out on the streets putting their lives on the line every day,' the NYPD source said. 'Finally, someone is cracking down on this incredible and illegal greed.' On Dec. 20, Epps, who was an administrator in Maddrey's office at One Police Plaza, told The Post that the chief paid her the dough to 'coerce' her to have sex with him in his office at NYPD headquarters. Sanders, a former cop, filed a federal Equal Employment Opportunity complaint against Maddrey on Epps' behalf the next day. Maddrey resigned the day The Post story went online Dec. 21. A week later, he held a press conference in Manhattan where his lawyer told reporters that the relationship with Epps was consensual. He also accused Epps of going after his client because of the investigation into her overtime. Maddrey didn't take questions. While the NYPD goes after Epps, Maddrey is expected to pull down an annual pension worth around $259,000. When Epps reaches her 20th anniversary this summer, she will receive a pension of less than half the pay of a lieutenant — under $50,000, police sources said. She will also miss out on the variable supplement of about $12,000 per year. In the wake of the scandal, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch made department-wide changes, including replacing the head of the storied Internal Affairs Bureau and transferring officials at Police HQ to other precincts and divisions. Maddrey's home was raided on Jan. 2 by agents with the U.S. Department of Justice, which opened an investigation after news of the imbroglio broke. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office also said it was launching a probe but later said it dropped the case. The DOJ has refused to comment on the status of its review. One retired NYPD officer who worked with sex assault victims said the NYPD demand for repayment from an alleged victim is misguided — especially since her accused harasser, Maddrey, was allowed to retire with a full pension. 'If you listen to her, she says she asked him to stop when he had sex with her in his office,' the ex-officer said. 'She's asserting criminal misconduct.' The NYPD did not return a request for comment. Additional reporting by Larry Celona.
New York Post
03-05-2025
- New York Post
NYPD wants massive overtime pay back after Jeffrey Maddrey sex scandal
The NYPD is trying to claw back more than $200,000 in overtime paid to the female lieutenant who alleged the OT cash was used by disgraced ex-Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey to coerce her to perform sexual acts, The Post has learned. Lt. Quathisha Epps, a 19-year-vet who retired in December after The Post uncovered the scandal, was the department's highest paid cop last year. 'She was paid for work she did not do,' a police source said. 'She has received notice that she owes this money.' Advertisement 4 Former NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, who was the NYPD's No. 1 uniformed cop, abruptly resigned after The Post reported that he allegedly used overtime to 'coerce' an underling to perform sexual favors. Brigitte Stelzer Epps called the NYPD demand that she pay back $231,890.75 retaliation for her blowing the whistle on the department's No. 2 cop. 'I will not be silenced,' she said. 'This isn't just my fight — it's the fight of every woman who dared to speak up and was punished for it. If the department — or anyone – believes they can erase what happened by attacking me, they've gravely underestimated the power of truth.' Advertisement The demand was a result of an NYPD investigation into the overtime and involved Epps' direct supervisor, former Deputy Chief Paul Saraceno, who was fired last month, sources said. Saraceno was Maddrey's second in command and allegedly signed off on Epps' overtime retroactively, the sources said. Epps' lawyer, Eric Sanders, said the letter Epps received from the NYPD included no evidence that she didn't work the hours she claimed to work. 4 NYPD top earner, ex-Lieutenant Quathisha Epps, filed a federal EEOC complaint against Maddrey. NYPD 'The overtime issue is a red herring—manufactured to distract from the real legal and moral crisis inside the NYPD,' Sanders said. 'Under New York labor law, the burden is on the employer to maintain accurate records, not the employee.' Advertisement The Post revealed in November that Epps pulled in $403,515 in fiscal year 2024, including $204,453.48 in overtime pay on top of her base salary of $164,477, according to city payroll records. 4 Epps told The Post she had sex with Maddrey in his office multiple times and asked him to stop during their first encounter. LP Media On Dec. 20, Epps, who was an administrator in Maddrey's office at One Police Plaza, told The Post that the chief paid her the dough to 'coerce' her to have sex with him in his office at NYPD headquarters. Sanders, a former cop, filed a federal Equal Employment Opportunity complaint against Maddrey on Epps' behalf the next day. Advertisement Maddrey resigned the day The Post story went online Dec. 21. A week later, he held a press conference in Manhattan where his lawyer told reporters that the relationship with Epps was consensual. He also accused Epps of going after his client because of the investigtion into her overtime. Maddrey didn't take questions. While the NYPD goes after Epps, Maddrey is expected to pull down an annual pension worth around $259,000. When Epps reaches her 20th anniversary this summer, she will receive a pension of less than half the pay of a lieutenant — under $50,000, police sources said. She will also miss out on the variable supplement of about $12,000 per year. 4 Deputy Chief Paul Saraceno was fired by the NYPD over allegations that he approved bogus overtime slips. In the wake of the scandal, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch made department-wide changes, including replacing the head of the storied Internal Affairs Bureau and transferring officials at Police HQ to other precincts and divisions. Maddrey's home was raided on Jan. 2 by agents with the U.S. Department of Justice, which opened an investigation after news of the imbroglio broke. The Manhattan District Attorneys Office also said it was launching a probe but later said it dropped the case. The DOJ has refused to comment on the status of its review. One retired NYPD officer who worked with sex assault victims said the NYPD demand for repayment from an alleged victim is misguided — especially since her accused harrasser, Maddrey, was allowed to retire with a full pension. 'If you listen to her, she says she asked him to stop when he had sex with her in his office,' the ex-officer said. 'She's asserting criminal misconduct.' Advertisement The NYPD did not return a request for comment. Additional reporting by Larry Celona.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hegseth orders review of Pentagon's complaint process
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed a rehaul of the Defense Department (DOD) programs meant for service members and civilian employees to report harassment and discrimination, claiming individuals have 'weaponized' such avenues. Hegseth ordered each military department to review its military Equal Opportunity (EO) and civilian Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) programs, according to a memo dated Thursday and released Friday. Titled 'Restoring Good Order and Discipline Through Balanced Accountability,' the review is meant 'to ensure prompt and impartial investigations, fair treatment of all involved, and timely and appropriate resolution of allegations of discrimination,' the memo states. In a video posted to social media announcing the review, Hegseth said it's 'a good thing' that the DOD has equal opportunity programs for people to report discrimination and harassment. But he insisted that the programs are sometimes 'weaponized,' with some individuals using them 'in bad faith to retaliate' against superiors or peers. 'I hear it all the time. Say you receive a bad evaluation, well, file a military EO complaint. It's nonsense. We want to fix that,' Hegseth said, calling the directive his 'no more walking on eggshells' policy. 'You see too often at the Defense Department there are complaints made for certain reasons that can't be verified that end people's career, either through EO or the [Office of the Inspector General],' Hegseth added. 'We need to reform that process completely so commanders can be commanders.' He did not include specific examples of such abuses of the complaint system, and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions from The Hill pertaining to details of such 'bad faith' uses of the EO process. Each service secretary must now 'identify areas for reform, and provide plans to streamline the investigation process, timely address problematic behaviors, and mitigate undue mission impacts,' within 45 days, per Hegseth's memo. The plans must include specific actions to allow unsubstantiated claims to be dismissed quickly. Hegseth also wants officials to take into account the 'favorable personnel actions' of alleged offenders — meaning any promotions, awards, reenlistment, reassignment, or attendance at military or civilian schools — should it seem like a complaint against them is not likely to be substantiated. In addition, he asked for administrative and/or disciplinary actions for personnel 'who knowingly submit false complaints.' 'Our personnel deserve fair treatment and a positive work environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment,' Jules Hurst, the acting under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, said in a statement accompanying the memo. 'They also deserve qualified leaders who are empowered to make tough decisions, enforce standards, and restore good order and discipline through balanced accountability.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hegseth signs 'No More Walking on Eggshells' policy, demands review of equal opportunity complaint process
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Friday calling for a review of Military Equal Opportunity and DoD civilian Equal Employment Opportunity programs. The secretaries of each military department are required under the memo to assess the programs in place within their own departments. In a video posted on X announcing the memo, Hegseth said that while it's "a good thing" that the military has multiple avenues for both service members and civilians to complain about harassment and discrimination, the systems have been "weaponized" and used "in bad faith to retaliate against superiors or peers." Hegseth Faces Latest Battle Defending His Defense Secretary Post At The Pentagon The memo's official title is "Restoring Good Order and Discipline Through Balanced Accountability," but Hegseth says he calls it the "No More Walking on Eggshells" policy. "So, here's the goal: empower leaders to make tough decisions, enforce standards, and restore good order and discipline," Hegseth said in the video. The memo directs the secretaries to ensure that complaints that "are unsubstantiated by actionable, credible evidence are timely dismissed." Additionally, "favorable actions," such as awards and promotions, involving the alleged offender are to be considered until the complaint is substantiated. Finally, the memo states that those who "knowingly submit false complaints" may face discipline. Read On The Fox News App The secretaries have 45 days to complete their reviews. Hegseth is no stranger to controversy and has faced several allegations since being tapped to lead DoD. It is not a stretch to imagine that he might have empathy for those facing false or unsubstantiated allegations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Rebuffs New Group Chat Allegations As Attempt To 'Sabotage' Trump's Agenda Prior to his confirmation, Hegseth faced allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and mismanagement of veterans' organizations. This included an affidavit by his former sister-in-law in which she alleged that Hegseth was physically abusive to his ex-wife, Samantha "Sam" Hegseth. However, Sam denied the allegations, saying she did not experience physical abuse during her marriage to Hegseth. Hegseth told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing that he is not a "perfect person," but asserted that he was the subject of a "coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media." Additionally, since becoming secretary of defense, Hegseth has been involved in two scandals regarding the encrypted messaging app Signal. The first scandal occurred when The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg was added to a Signal chat in which there were discussions about plans for the U.S. to strike Yemen. While National Security Advisor Mike Waltz took a lot of heat for the situation, Hegseth was not spared from criticism. In the end, the Trump administration insisted that the discussions in the group did not actually involve "war plans." On Sunday, Hegseth was accused of sharing military information in a Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal attorney. The New York Times reported that people with knowledge of the situation said the information "included the flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen." Hegseth told "FOX & Friends" that the allegations were meant to "sabotage" President Donald Trump's agenda. Despite an op-ed suggesting that Hegseth could be on the way out, the White House has stood behind him. "He is bringing monumental change to the Pentagon, and there's a lot of people in the city who reject monumental change, and I think, frankly, that's why we've seen a smear campaign against the Secretary of Defense since the moment that President Trump announced his nomination before the United States Senate," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. Diana Stancy contributed to this article source: Hegseth signs 'No More Walking on Eggshells' policy, demands review of equal opportunity complaint process
