George Mason To Comply With Congressional Request For Information On Sexual Allegations Against Former Law Prof Joshua Wright

Letter From Virginia Foxx, Chair, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, to George Mason University President Gregory Washington and Law School Dean Ken Randall (June 25, 2024):

On June 8, 2024, The Wall Street Journal published a troubling investigative report about former Antonin Scalia Law School (law school) professor Joshua Wright’s apparent use of his influence over academic and career opportunities to seduce young female law students into inappropriate sexual relationships or to harass them sexually at various points during the period 2004-2023, when he served on the faculty. Furthermore, it appears professor Wright “evaded scrutiny over affairs with students because the university, like Wilson Sonsini [law firm with which Wright associated], found him too valuable to lose,” according to allegations of the women. “His conduct was known around campus, those women said, and complaints to school officials in past years went nowhere.”

As the Chairwoman of the Committee charged with oversight of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), I am deeply disturbed by the allegations in the report.

Accordingly, please provide to me no later than July 9, 2024 the following: (1) an explanation of all steps the law school or George Mason University (university) took to investigate each of the students’ allegations, as well as the outcomes of those investigations; (2) copies of all Title IX policies and procedures in place during 2004-2023; and (3) steps the law school and the university have taken to protect against such incidents recurring in the future.

• ABA Journal, How Did Scalia Law Respond to Seduction Complaints Against Law Prof? Lawmaker Wants Answers.
• Law.com, GMU Intends to Comply With Congresswoman's Information Request Regarding Joshua Wright Allegations
• Law360, Rep. Seeks Info On Sex Allegations Against Ex-GMU Law Prof

Wall Street Journal 3-part series on former George Mason Law Prof Joshua Wright: 

• Part One: The Hidden Life of Google’s Secret Weapon (June 8, 2024)
• Part Two: For Years, an Esteemed Law Professor Seduced Students. Was He Too Important to Fire? (June 9, 2024)
• Part Three: How Hubris, Revenge and a Breakup Brought Down Big Tech’s Proudest Ally (June 10, 2024)

Other TaxProf Blog coverage:

• Former George Mason Law Prof Files $108M Lawsuit Against Former Students Accusing Him Of Sexual Misconduct (Aug. 26, 2023)
• After Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Former Tenured Law Professor, George Mason Bans Intimate Relationships Between Faculty And Students (Sept. 16, 2023)
• Joshua Wright Files Title IX Suit Against George Mason; Court Dismisses His $108 Million Defamation Claim Against Former Students Who Accused Him Of Sexual Misconduct (Dec. 12, 2023)
• George Mason Fires Back In Lawsuit By Former Tenured Law Professor Accused Of Sexual Misconduct (Jan. 30, 2024)
• Court Allows Former George Mason Law Prof Joshua Wright's $108 Million Defamation Suit Against Former Students He Dated To Proceed (June 10, 2024)