Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Elissa Slotkin rushed to condemn the “Cornell 7” before any criminal charges existed, even as officials reopened the case to review new claims.
Story Snapshot
- A civil lawsuit accuses seven Chi Phi members of drugging and assaulting a student in 2024.
- No criminal charges have been filed; a grand jury review is underway, according to the district attorney.
- Cornell says a Title Nine process led to expulsions and suspensions, and the chapter remains barred.
- The district attorney says the woman’s 2024 statement did not allege drugging or gang rape.
Elected Officials Condemned Students Before Any Criminal Charges
Members of Congress blasted the “Cornell 7” after a September 16, 2026 civil filing accused seven Chi Phi fraternity members of drugging and assault over several hours in 2024. The Tompkins County district attorney said a grand jury will review whether charges are warranted. He noted none of the men has been criminally charged at this time. Public figures called for punishment anyway, putting politics ahead of due process. That rush risks smearing people before facts are tested.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said the grand jury step follows new assertions in the civil complaint. He also pointed to differences from the woman’s 2024 statement to Cornell University police. He said that earlier account did not claim drugging or gang rape and described the conduct as voluntary and consensual, which is why no charges were filed then. The grand jury process now gives sworn testimony a venue, but verdicts belong in court, not on social media.
What The Lawsuit Alleges And What The Record Shows So Far
The lawsuit says seven fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted the plaintiff inside the Chi Phi house during the night of October 19, 2024, and invited others through a group message to join. The complaint names the individuals, the university, the fraternity, and a local bar. These are allegations in a civil case, which uses a lower standard of proof than criminal court. The district attorney’s office is reviewing evidence again through a grand jury to decide if criminal charges fit the new claims.
Cornell University said its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated under Title Nine. The school says a trained panel heard from both sides. It says sanctions included expulsions and suspensions, and the Chi Phi chapter remains barred from campus. That means campus discipline occurred, but it is not the same as a criminal conviction or acquittal. It runs on school policy, not state penal codes, and often stays behind confidentiality walls.
Due Process, Free Speech, And The Danger Of Trial By Hashtag
High-profile leaders speaking as if guilt is settled set a bad standard. The United States promises due process and presumption of innocence. Swift public claims by politicians can chill speech, poison juries, and pressure agencies to “make an example” instead of find the truth. Here, even the district attorney underscored that the earlier statement differed from the new lawsuit, which is why he is using a grand jury now to test those differences under oath. That is the sober way to handle disputes.
Protesters calling for tougher action against sexual violence rallied on Thursday outside the New York City courthouse where a Cornell University student stirred a national uproar by suing several campus fraternity members she accused of gang rape. https://t.co/gdYSHVQaCA
— BusinessWorld (@bworldph) October 9, 2026
Conservatives have seen this pattern on campuses for years: a serious charge, a flood of headlines, and then a fog of closed-door procedures. The facts that are public today are these: a civil suit with detailed claims, university sanctions after a Title Nine process, no criminal charges so far, and a district attorney citing key shifts between 2024 statements and 2026 filings. We should protect victims, punish proven crimes, and guard the rights of the accused until the law decides.
Sources:
nypost.com, cnn.com, yahoo.com
