Qatar Foundation disputes buying influence with funding to Northwestern University

The Qatar Foundation, a state-led nonprofit organization that funds a Doha-based campus of Northwestern University, is disputing Republican claims that the relationship is used to buy influence.

Republicans slammed Northwestern President Michael Schill in a House hearing on campus antisemitism last week, where Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) pointed to reports the school had received more than $600 million from Qatar since 2007. Republicans have connected such funding, and Qatar being identified as a financial backer of terrorist organizations such as Hamas, to the pro-Palestinian protests seen on campuses over the last several weeks.