Report: Illegal Racial Discrimination in Faculty Hiring at George Mason University Under the Direction of President Gregory Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Judiciary Committee released an interim staff report titled, "Illegal Racial Discrimination in Faculty Hiring at George Mason University Under the Direction of President Gregory Washington." The report reveals that George Mason University (GMU), an institution of higher education that receives federal taxpayer funding, likely violated the Civil Rights Act by using racial quotas and racial demographic balancing in faculty hiring to advance GMU President Dr. Washington's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiative.

Federal law prohibits race-based discrimination, using race as a factor in hiring or firing, and bars entities that receive federal funds from discriminating based on race.

The Committee's oversight shows that at least three GMU schools created precise racial hiring quotas and three other schools tried to balance faculty hiring with student racial demographics. GMU's illegal hiring policies discriminated against South Asians, Southeast Asians, Arab-Americans, Caucasians, and other demographics. Dr. Washington has refused to take responsibility for racial discrimination at GMU and lied to the Committee about his role in GMU's illegal discriminatory conduct.

In his transcribed interview with the Committee, Dr. Washington asserted, despite significant evidence to the contrary, that GMU has never illegally discriminated based on race. Dr. Washington also repeatedly attempted to shift the blame, downplaying his role in the creation of the racial discrimination plans and in GMU's use of racial quotas and racial demographic balancing in hiring.

In doing so, Dr. Washington appears to have made at least two material false statements to the Committee despite being warned that 18 U.S.C. § 1001, a statute prohibiting individuals from lying to Congress.

The available evidence suggests that Dr. Gregory Washington was ultimately responsible for the initiation and implementation of these discriminatory practices at GMU, likely in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

As the Committee conducts oversight of the sufficiency of existing law to protect fundamental rights for all Americans, the Committee will continue to examine the use of illegal racial discrimination and DEI practices. So-called anti-racism initiatives-like the one created and directed at GMU by Dr. Washington-violate the spirit and letter of civil rights law.

Read the full report here.

Read the full transcript of GMU President Gregory Washington's transcribed interview here.

Read the full transcript of GMU Antonin Scalia Law School Dean Ken Randall's transcribed interview here.

Read the full transcript of GMU Schar School of Policy and Government Associate Dean of Research and Grants Naoru Koizumi's deposition here.