Salena Zito says Cornell rape allegations could force university onto neutral track

On Oct. 6, 2026, Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito told listeners on The Hugh Hewitt Show that the gang‑rape allegations against members of Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity could become the shocking incident that forces the school onto a neutral track.

The remarks arrived as a lawsuit filed under the pseudonym Jane Doe accuses seven former fraternity members of drugging and sexually assaulting her in October 2024 at a Cornell house, and as state officials intervene after Gov. Kathy Hochul transferred the criminal investigation to Attorney General Letitia James.

Doe’s court filing includes a Snapchat image showing one fraternity member allegedly encouraging others to join the assault, and notes that no criminal charges were filed at the time of the alleged incident.

Governor Hochul issued an executive order moving the probe to AG James after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten reopened the case, citing concerns about the original handling.

In response to the university’s handling of the case, Cornell faculty submitted a no‑confidence resolution on Monday, seeking to increase pressure on President Martha E. Pollack to address the allegations and the broader campus climate.

Zito warned that “what Cornell had become ahead of this incident happening is just a perfect example of the way that academia has gotten off the rails,” adding that the university “has become completely a political wing of a party … and instead, it’s indoctrinating young people.” She said, “just to a place of neutrality, but I think now Cornell is forced to become that because of just the whole way that this whole thing has been handled.”

Public reaction has been intense, with letters to the editor criticizing the governor’s appointment of AG James and calling for an impartial investigation that respects due process for the accused while ensuring a thorough inquiry for the complainant.

The next steps include the Attorney General’s investigation and the upcoming faculty vote, developments that could shape Cornell’s leadership and its response to the allegations as the legal process moves forward.