Veritas: Can Claudine Gay’s Chicago Way Connections (Obama, Pritzker) Protect Her from Golden Moutza of the Month?
By John Kass
January 3, 2024
If Hollywood makes a sci-fi film of “The Incredible Shrinking Ivy League University,” it would star former Harvard President Claudine Gay as the serial plagiarist and race-hustling left-wing bigot who resigned her post on Tuesday.
It was Gay who for weeks had refused to resign, after a high-profile Congressional public hearing in which she and other Ivy League university presidents refused unequivocally to denounce calls on campus for the genocide of Jews.
It depends on the context, she said. Under what context is genocide acceptable? Neither Claudine Gay, nor other leftist college presidents, would say. But they don’t care about context either. They care about power.
And then came a cascade of allegations that Gay had plagiarized the academic work of others. Allegation after allegation. If she was a white male conservative Republican, she’d have been forced to resign weeks ago. But she is not white. She is not a conservative.
She is a black female and high priestess of the so-called “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” scam, profoundly cynical fascist marriage of authoritarian government and the corporate left that is all about racial/gender discrimination under the color of law. It is protected by hard left Democrats, an a key reason why so many Americans are at each others’ throats.
DEI is Gay’s empire. There is nothing about merit and excellence in DEI. As the great Victor Davis Hanson points out race is the reason she was hired.
Vanderbilt political science professor Carol Swain, a black woman who said she was a victim of Gay’s plagiarism, told City Journal that “a white male would probably already be gone.”
The only thing that kept her alive was her Chicago Way connection with former President Barack Obama and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker whose sister Penny Pritzker runs the university’s governing body, the Harvard Board of Overseers.
But apparently Obama and the Pritzkers couldn’t take the heat she was bringing them. After weeks and weeks of behind-the-scenes politicking, they dropped her and cut her loose.
They’ll keep her on faculty for now, but all that will do is prolong the pain. Every day she lingers, still being paid her reported whopping $900,000 salary, Americans are reminded of the contempt that Gay, Harvard and the entire political left holds for them. The despicable race-hustler Al Sharpton played the race card for Gay as she resigned. Of course he did.
“President Gay’s resignation is about more than a person or a single incident. This is an attack on every Black woman in this country who’s put a crack in the glass ceiling,” he said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday.
No Rev. Al. Not all Americans are chumbolones. And she wasn’t attacked because she’s black. She was elevated and hired because she was black.
She didn’t put a crack in the glass ceiling, any more than Sharpton’s young protege Tawana Brawley did. In 1987 the then 15-year-old Brawley alleged (with Al’s help) that she had been kidnapped and raped by a group of white men, including law enforcement officers. She smeared feces on herself.
A grand jury rightly decided she’d made the whole thing up.
If they hadn’t, the cities would have burned as they did in the “mostly peaceful” BLM riots.
The conservative writer Christopher Rufo nailed her on X, formerly Twitter. I enjoyed his response. It was perfect.
“Rather than take responsibility for minimizing antisemitism, committing serial plagiarism, intimidating the free press, and damaging the institution, she calls her critics racist,” said Rufo, who uncovered much of her serial plagiarism. He added that this is the poison” of diversity, equity and inclusion ideology.”
Of course it is.
How can it be anything other than cultural poison?
Gay is a political animal, not a talented academic. She’s black and she played the race card, the old race hustle aimed at white “fragility” that those of us who remember Jesse Jackson’s King of Beers shtick know all too well. Bluff the white chumbolones and demand they fill your collection plate. Most will comply.
Why?
Because many are afraid. There is nothing so fragile as the white Democrat desperate not to be condemned as racist.
But the Marxist left does not apologize for anything, no matter how many once-great institutions–including the law and journalism it leaves smoldering in its wake.
The political problem was obvious to Chicagoans wise to the Chicago Way.
“After this dies down my hunch is that she’ll want to spend more time with her cat,” said my friend Prof. Charles Lipson on this week’s Chicago Way podcast on WGN radio.
“And Penny Pritzker is in an awkward position…they (Democrats) need African American votes and the last thing they’ll want is the name Pritzker all over firing the first black president of Harvard,” Lipson said.
Not everyone wanted Gay “honored” with the Golden Moutza.
Some insisted that the award go to Illinois Secretary of State Alexis Giannoulias for posing in a selfie tweet sprawled on his office carpet like a little girl.
It was embarrassing. I thought of my Greek ancestors who fought the Turks.
“Memo to Alexi, the smarmy sycophant who makes pandering to extremists his trademark. Nah!!” wrote always perceptive reader Tom Winike.
I have no words except one. Pathetic.
And yes, though Alexi deserves a perpetual Moutza—his carpet posing almost made me forget his friendship with Chicago almost wise-guy Jaws Giorango. I didn’t forget, I just wish Don Vito Corleone could slap his face and shout, “What’s a matter with you. You CAN ACT LIKE A MAN!!”
Alexi ran for office this time, and the crack political reporters avoided Giorango, it was obvious to me at least that the Chicago media had forgotten.
But Claudine Gay and her race cards and plagiarism and her Chicago Way political pals just can’t be swept under Alexi’s rug.
“There are so many who are called but few are chosen,” said Leo G. Manta in his Golden Moutza nomination. “I nominate Claudine Gay. I guess all that supposed education of hers didn’t make her any smarter and wiser, just dumber. Apparently that’s why she had to plagiarize so much. All those parents who paid to send their kids to Harvard should demand a refund.
“All together now—Na Parta Olla!! Fisa Etho!!,” said Manta.
“I would like to amend my earlier Moutza nomination of “Harvard President Claudine Gay,” said Nancy Trainer. “The nomination should read “Smug, elitest Obama BFF Harvard President Claudine Gay.”
Reader Pat Graceffa, like many wanted the Golden Moutza awarded to Chicago Mayor Brandon the dimwit. But you can smack him with the Golden Moutza on a daily basis and it wouldn’t phase him in the least. Why? His lack of wits protect him.
“I would give it to Chicago for being a Sanctuary City for over thirty years and having no plans or budget in place to even help the small number (compared to the actual total coming into the country) of people coming into the city,” Graceffa said. “Everyone in city government talks the talk but no one walks the walk.”
There are only two thoughts in Democratic heads for 2024: Race and Abortion.
“I just don’t care anymore John” said reader Dan Herring. “It ends badly this year for the world. Make your peace.”
I make my peace with cynical Claudine Gay, who shows us who and what she is. She’s a manipulator and high priestess of the DEI death cult that seeks the death of America. And she has the gall to keep that job?
She’s worked so hard, stealing other people’s work, playing her race games, leaning on Obama and the Pritzkers, protecting Harvard’s silencing of opposing views while stepping on “freedom of speech.”
Hypocrite.
Lift your chin Claudine Gay. Lift it high. You’ve walked over so many people on your way to the top of the mountain. You used race to destroy people with whom you disagree and now you want to be treated as a woman of honor?
Not on my watch. You’ve destroyed a once-great university. You’ve imperiled all those at Harvard who foolishly supported you.
You are the Al Sharpton of the Ivy League.
Veritas, baby. Veritas.
And this Golden Moutza of December belongs to you. You’ve earned it right on the kisser.
Now put your lips together and blow on this. Feesah Etho.
NAH!!!!
You’re disgusting. You’re dangerous. You’re the corrupt high priestess of the Bolshevik creed that is DEI. You have no place here. Take your Moutza and go.
NAH and NAH again.
-30-
(Copyright 2023 John Kass)
Comments 43
Happy New John. Someone must get out in the front and tell the truth. Please. A lot of us know that Obama runs the Country and Neflix and so many companies plus the Government by placing his select people in the CIA especially. He is the one that kept Gay as the Harvard President, she makes 900 a year + and now she is crying racism? Are we nuts or what. George Sotos pays idiots to protest and block our streets and our Airports where people have missed their flights, and Il under Prizker is becoming a Third World Country State while he gets richer and richer not realizing when he leaves the Earth he will take nothing with him and no one I mean no one will remember him. How sad that some people are so rich they do not give a darn about the poor and they judge them while they inherited millions like him and never worked an honest day in their lives. Now the Socialists and Liberals and the lazy tell us that Gay was let go because she is Black. Whom are they kidding. They are showing their Racism and true colors while we seek God and the Truth which they know nothing about. Obama won Twice and they call the White Race Racists? Biden has hired people that do not know how to work or do the job and now that Election year is here, he wants to protect the border, what a laugh and the gas prices are low and all those Illegals will Vote for him and that is how he wants to Win so to allow Obama and his cronies destroy the best Country on Earth. Obama said he will make sure that he will Change the Face of America and he is doing just that. We accept the poor, help them no matter what color but they have brainwashed our people to feel guilty for what they do. The Oprah’s of the World made Billions in the stupidity of the young while they brainwashed Generations like our Schools and Universities. We take the blame for their Hatred of this great Country while we can here for Freedom and Opportunity, respected the LAW and worked hard side by side with all people color does not make a difference, God made us all it is the conduct of the people that matters and we have allowed the Devil to run our Country and our Schools. Please trust the Lord and I pray someone will step up in Honesty and Honor and tell the truth. Sad because I am afraid our Cable news and local News are run and have been bought by the Socialists. Please wake up and save America. We that trust the Lord are not afraid.
Excellent blog Helen! Couldn’t have said it better myself! Se-agapo!
Bravo, you said it all. Truth. It’s been lost except for John Kass et. al. and people like you. We have to keep on exposing Obama, Sorros and the others.
Powerful column and 1st response. Thank you both. Chicago’s Community Organizers, well padded leftists in the rubble of the Sandburg/Grobnik city have a fifteen year grasp on the neck of American families. Where and when is that grasp ripped away with an American assertion, “You have no place here”!
Mayor “dimwit”! Wearing his hair in a broad’s bouffant? Pompadour?! Solid runner up.
The mayor’s hair, every time I see Tom Terrific.
And she keeps her 900K salary! (Until she lands sone nice cushy job by one of Pritzger or Obama’s buddies. Someone please tell me what she or any university president do (or football/basketball coach for that matter) do to EARN that kind of money. Oh yes they fundraise, and so do the coaches by fielding winning teams (anyone notice how Harvard is doing ?)
DEI and the white guilt that elected her patron is the ruination of this country. The first black person I met was a CPD crossing guard for my grade school. Mrs Jones. She was all about teaching kids about safety and really follow the rules. She led by example. I’d suspect her family moved north for better opportunity in the great migration. No DEI for her, just hard work and a solid job. (And yes perhaps due to the patronage of one of the early black aldermen).
Gay is a disgrace to true academic people who do it right. She cheated, that is what plagiarism is, period.
Take the Moutza smack in the face like the real racist you are.
Bout time the scumbag quit. The shame, is given the current politics of no rules, no procedure, no acceptance, she’ll still be a hero, a trailblazer and never be held for her contemptuous attitude/behavior. Like most of the hypocrites in her shoes, she shows the contempt for competence. No longer need any qualifications do so something…anyth8ng. Just a left wing loudmouth in the right places. A chance for the concept to work…but only if you put qualified people in the positions. They are there. Reminds me of the r3cent story of a Black woman who was outraged after she got a promotion and was shunned by her new subordinates. For once, she was by far capable, qualified and deserving. She couldn’t understand why people didn’t like her. Then one morning she woke up and realized that the reason people were worked up was because she got the gig because she was female, because she was black. She was baffled, but was smart enough to look around and realize that, yes, that is why she got the position. It wasn’t because she earned it, not because she was qualified for it, not because she was a strong capable individual, but because she was (1st) a female and Black (a bonus). She became as outraged as those already there. Never would she be looked at because of her talent and ability, but more as a symbol of what has become an establishment. It’s a shame.
DEI = Diversity EXCLUSION INCOMPETENCE. Hire/promote the diverse at the expense of quality, knowledge experience, etc etc etc. Here is the poster child for that movement. Claudine Gay, a deserving Moutza. Maybe hers should be black and not golden.
Obvious winner, great column hitting on all of the salient points. This fraud and her supporters need to be exposed. We get angry over soldiers who claim stolen valor, this person is just as bad if not worse having done it at least 50 times. She stains herself and all of her supporters.
Is it me or does she bear a striking resemblance to Spike Lee?
She do favor Old Spike. I always thought Mrs. Obama favored Patrick Ewing.
Claudine could plagiarize “mea culpa” or “I’m sorry” or “I apologize” from one of Kass’ columns…not!
Bravo, John Kass! Stomp these scum-sucking critters!
Superb column John! Thank God someone has a pair and tells it just as it is thrown at us.
More than anything Ms Gay has hurt and diminished the cause of DEI. DEI might be a cause to advance worthy people of color & diversity to prestigious positions but it surely & monumentally failed in this case.
Again, as expressed by Victor Hugo,
“ There is no force in nature more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” No matter how terribly flawed.
John, have a great New Year
Didn’t children in what was once called public education get grades marked down or failed an assignment for plagiarism? It still happens in the private schools. Maybe public education should be called public babysitting by overpaid babysitters who are not held to any standards, other than pay your union dues and vote the right way.
Great column, Mr. Kass, and a worthy recipient of the Moutza!
What bothers me the most about these situations, however, isn’t her ridiculous statements on the destruction of Israel (what the hell does “context” have to do with it?), or even the plagiarism- I expect a variety of stupid statements and even some cheating by so-called “academics”.
What bothers me is her use of “racial animus” as the reason for her leaving.
When someone claims “racism” when it doesn’t apply, it makes it much more difficult, or even impossible, for someone who has actually been subjected to racism to be believed. She should be ashamed of herself.
Left wingers have no shame and make no apologies….lies are acceptable and when they are confronted with them, they know the legacy media will not question their integrity… Remember Harry Reid… Reid’s lying allegations relating to Romney’s not paying taxes and his wealth contrasted with Reid’s own lifestyle as a resident of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Washington, where he lived and didn’t file taxes.… You can’t shame the Left…Lying Al Sharpton is an example as well as CNBC who hired Sharpton a tax cheat and liar as a correspondent…but don’t get me talking about the Illinois connection of Gay to our truth challenged Governor… known as the Toilet Boy tax cheat…
When leftards talk about “context,” they mean where people sit on the Hierarchy of Oppression. In Gay’s case the context was that those higher up in the hierarchy, the Palestinians, have every right to call for genocide against Jews because, being generally successful and therefore on one of the lower rungs of the hierarchy, Jews don’t even have the right to defend themselves against the Oppressed’s terrorist acts.
Alexi Giannoulias, he’s safe with the left, no masculine toxicity there!
I have for awhile thought the worst thing to happen to black Americans was Barrack Obama. I now believe he was the worst person for All Americans. His third term may prove all us conservatives were right about him all along. This Country can not survive a fourth term.
Γιάννη,
Perfect moutza candidate, thanx! However, any day now I expect her to be named in charge of The Chicago Way’s DEI and sanctuary city bureau!! Her BFFs O and P will no doubt assist the grease!! Τι κρίμα!!! Καλή χρονιά!!!
Harvard was never a great Institution.. It was (is) a great Brand I guess you could say and I hope it gets crushed, along with the balance of the Ivys. As late as the late 17th century Harvard was graduating men who couldn’t read. Both Harrison Mayors were Yale guys, the younger (Jr.) honestly describing is two years at Yale Law School as a two year party. So much great scholarship never sees the light of day because of these schools and their brands, as well as any other school that aspires to be like these people. Which is why I “kick States out”. Epstein contributed $14 milge to Harvard’s Eugenics program, and they only returned $200K of “unspent” funds to his victims, with a $60 billion endowment – must be because it would be a tacit admission of guilt
Looks like Alexi (name suiting a 10-y.o. but too cute for a grown man) has to keep his head down below the window sill so neighboring office workers can’t watch him.
On his laptop….a book report? I think it’s really Candy Crush.
Amen and Amen. As I grow older I see the American people (many of them) as ignorant and led by the nose sheep.
Worthy winner.
I don’t know who the others were who also were in consideration for Harvard president that she beat out. I imagine they are pissed. I would be.
Why does DEI reward some yet hurt others?
We are spinning out of control, and there are no adults to say stop. I watched when the three college president were on the hill. We know none condoned violence and hate against Jewish students. I’m sure it made the Jewish students feel all warm and fuzzy.
Stupid smart people can’t and won’t say it’s wrong. Why? What are they afraid of? Being canceled? Not being woke enough?
Do we continue to tiptoe through life with no common sense?
On a final note Claudine Gay needs to removed from Harvard. Take her tenure away and never let her teach again.
Thanks John Kass and Happy New Year.
Understatement of the year so far: “a white male would probably already be gone.” If a white male had said something so disgusting and idiotic, he would have been vaporized faster than a drop of water in a blast furnace. Not only that, he would have been crucified for weeks
by all the major news organizations.
“It has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor — two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am — and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus,” said Gay in her resignation letter.
Do you really believe those were her own words? And then of course, her mother tongue nor Obama’s father tongue was English (and mine, of course!). And they have got to make a living, right? Didn’t you see a Palestinian Political Student at the Harvard campus with the sign spelled “Necesary” ?
Race and gender got her hired.
Ignorance got her fired.
Did I say “ignorance”?
She is going to slither back to the faculty and earn $900,000 a year.
During her hearing on Capitol Hill, she fought like a gladiator to keep from saying that calling for the genocide of Jews violated Harvard’s code.
There was racial animus for sure, but it wasn’t towards her. It was towards her Jewish students.
Harvard could do us all a favor and FIRE every person responsible for hiring her as president.
Start holding people accountable for their bad decisions.
Yes, she checks the box as first black female president of a major university.
She also gets to check the box for shortest tenure of a Harvard president in the college’s history.
And she may just set a record for number of times a person plagiarized someone else’s work.
Nah.
Do you know or guess what nonsense she might be teaching at Harvard to earn $900,000 a year? Not certainly science or engineering!
-Nambi
She is a substitute teacher for lightfoot
Well said John! Thanks for standing for truth – which is hard to find in today’s toxic news and corporate mess! God bless!
Who is tired of being called a racist by racists, intolerant by the intolerant, and lectured to by people claiming they want to have a conversation?
Upholding scholarly rigor? With over 50 proven examples of plagiarism? That would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic. And there’s this: “When my brief presidency is remembered, I hope it will be seen as a moment of reawakening to the importance of striving to find our common humanity.” Except for Jews.
Well deserved Moutza, Claudine Gay.
I wanted to throw up when she and the other two ivy league presidents “non testified”
before Congress. Context? They reeked of arrogance, with no morals or conscience.
Genocide doesn’t matter to them, their Jewish students (and parents) don’t matter to them.
DEI is a phony term that covers up nonsense with busywork.
Checking the boxes matters more than competence.
Claudine Gay will be just fine.
Her salary doesn’t mention housing, bonuses, perks and a hefty severance package .
Don’t forget that tenured pension, and who know what else. Rolladex anyone?
One thing, she did not destroy Harvard.
Harvard did this all on its own a long ago stepping into the mire
of money, power and political correctness.
Veritas, indeed, Harvard.
I believe it needs to be pointed out again how the powers that be at Harvard did not pressure Gay to go over her antisemitic hate speech, it was the plagiarism that lit a fire under their collective cans.
Think about that for a minute.
In their view, plagiarism was a worse offense than her pro-Jewish holocaust stance.
This is where we are in 2023.
Dangerous, dangerous times we are living in.
Claudine Gay is a problem for Harvard. But that problem pales to the problem of picking here successor. The boxes she checked will need to be checked again, plus, even more boxes to keep the different liberal tribes at bay. This part should be fun to watch. Their woke leading to their wake.
When I first read about Gay as the first female president of Harvard, I thought she should have some kind of prowess and I never guessed plagiarism was one! Stupid me.
Well genocide is never contextual, but under the First (which she suddenly seemed to embrace) speech calling for it – like other hateful repugnant speech – is contextual. The context in question is whether the speech is specifically threatening or rises to the level of incitement or is so severe and pervasive that it prevents a specific group or individual from access to educational facilities. A “generic” call for Jewish genocide is – under the First – hate speech which is protected speech. Of course her problem was her hypocrisy and demonstrable double standard: she only suddenly transformed into Voltaire for the Congressional hearing … where as prior Harvard and her were speech repressing full out Maoists.
Wow, is Boston full of racists, phonies, and far left liberals. I now suggest Harvard will look for a new president from a group in the Boston area. Well, it will not be Larry Summers. He already has been screwed by Harvard. There is always the perpetual Indian Princess, Fauxhauntas Warren. She checks every box except black. My favorite is Ibrahim X Kendi, the Boston University professor who was given 30 million dollars for a DEI program and some how or another, lost all those dollars. Did anyone look at his bank account? Just think what Kendi could do with that multi billion dollar endowment fund Harvard has. He might run through that is a matter of weeks.
One last thought and this would solve all the problems for the democrats this coming November. They are going to dump senile, corrupt, crooked Joe Byeden. But, what to do with Cackles Harris? Oh Boy. They will go to her, ask her to resign and offer her the Czar ship of Harvard. She would have only one problem. Could Czar Cackles find her way to the Harvard Yard?
John Kass…thank you for your words and your presentation of The Golden Moutza to Claudine Gay is well earned and deserved. God bless you.
Thank you also for introducing me to so many others who have strong and great words of facts and truth who also bring your greatness alongside of theirs. I hesitate to show my partisanship to you as your greatness is unsurpassed.
May God continue to bless us all with your wisdom, wit and knowledge of what in the hell is actually happening out there.
Yup, still keeping you in my prayers.
Tom Adams
Where are those who called criticisms of George Soros “anti-Semitic,” just wondering?
where are they? They’re at the Chicago Tribune. They run the Chicago Tribune Guild. They ran a great paper into the ground, and even to this day they send foul mouthed liars and other agents against me.
John, I still think you are missing a great opportunity. We need a golden human award monthly to encourage and uplift the masses. Every month we need a person or idea that either has confronted evil in a most daring way or someone who gave everything in a cause that was virtuous and compelling. We need..optimism. We need a counterpoint to the moutza award. We need reasons to keep those of us, especially in Illinois, who are impelled to stay for various reasons, to continue the good fight.
We need a feeling of joy and an internal hope that this can’t continue to spiral into oblivion.
Chicago has had a Democrat major for 93? Straight years.
The result is the number one city in segregation, rats, high real estate taxes, horrible public transportation, physical safety issues everywhere, a God awful CPS run school system, an egregious and unsustainable pension monster and a terrible judicial system.
Give us hope and give the poor downtrodden a reason to vote change, over their seeming desire to keep their meager scraps of a failed patronage system over change.
How about DEI=division, entitlement and intimidation?