Sally Yates Tapped to Lead Cornell Review of Sexual Assault Handling

Cornell University has appointed Sally Yates, former deputy attorney general under the Obama administration and an official fired by President Donald Trump, to lead an independent review of the university's handling of sexual assault and dating violence allegations. The review comes as Cornell faces scrutiny following an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in October 2024.

Yates and her employer, King & Spalding, will have access to Cornell's internal documents, including case files, oversight records for Greek organizations, communications with law enforcement, and disciplinary hearing records as part of the review. Yates brings extensive experience from the Department of Justice, including her prominent role during the Russia investigation.

Career and Confrontations

Yates was nominated as deputy attorney general by President Barack Obama in January 2015 and confirmed by the Senate. She previously served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. Her tenure as acting attorney general under the Trump administration was brief; she was fired on January 30, 2017, after instructing Justice Department lawyers not to defend President Trump's executive order restricting travel and refugee admissions from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The White House stated at the time that Yates had "betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States." Yates defended her decision, stating her responsibility was to ensure the department's stance was legally defensible and consistent with seeking justice.

Return to National Spotlight

In May 2017, Yates testified before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election. She detailed informing White House Counsel Don McGahn about warnings concerning then-national security advisor Michael Flynn. Flynn had discussed sanctions against Russia with the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, and Yates warned McGahn that Flynn had misled administration officials and could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail. Flynn resigned from his position shortly after this warning and later pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.

Before her interactions with the Trump administration, Yates spent 27 years at the Justice Department, prosecuting cases of white-collar fraud and public corruption. She also served as lead prosecutor in the case against Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph.

Following her departure from the Justice Department, Yates returned to King & Spalding as a partner. In 2021, she led an independent investigation into sexual misconduct and abuse within the National Women's Soccer League, commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation. The investigation, which involved over 200 interviews, uncovered widespread abuse and systemic failures by teams and league officials. The findings, released in October 2022, recommended improvements in background checks, reporting procedures, and accountability.

Cornell's Investigation

Cornell stated that Yates and her firm were selected for the review due to their "expertise in higher education and extensive experience conducting independent investigations for boards and institutions." Yates' appointment comes shortly after New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has also been involved in legal actions against Trump, was appointed to lead a separate state investigation into the specific allegations at the center of the controversy.

While James' investigation will focus on the particular case, Yates' review will examine Cornell's broader policies and its overall handling of sexual assault and dating violence claims. The university has indicated that Yates' team will specifically review the response to the allegations involving a student referred to as Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024, assessing whether the university adhered to its established policies and procedures.