Harvard’s efforts to disparage Harvard Law School professor Ronald Sullivan for representing Harvey Weinstein reached a new low last week during a student-led “sit-in” at Sullivan’s own campus house attended by the dean of the college.
On Friday, students from across the campus staged a sit-in at the dining hall of WInthrop House, the student dormitory that Sullivan lives in and oversees during the academic school year.
According to The Crimson, Harvard’s student-led newspaper, students in attendance read a list of demands for Harvard to comply with, including publication of the results of Harvard’s climate review of Winthrop House, as well as forcing Sullivan to apologize to house members for essentially doing his job as a lawyer, and give up his role at Harvard’s annual commencement ceremony to someone else.
A student petition at the event indicated that 178 students attended the event and signed their names. Additionally, Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana also attended the event, further legitimizing the intimidation tactics that the students are using against Sullivan for being an attorney. Students who attended claimed they weren’t protesting the right a lawyer has to take on any case, rather that Sullivan didn’t have to take this specific case.
“Let me be clear, the point about Harvey Weinstein deserving due process is a straw man argument and is a point that protesters have never disputed,” said Hakeem Angulu, a current student and resident of the WInthrop House. “The more specific and relevant point that we’re trying to make is that Dean Sullivan does not have to provide the representation, and by providing, he is compromising his ability to serve survivors and his house.”
While taking on cases that may outrage the public is nothing new to Sullivan, it’s unfortunate that students and members of the faculty are choosing to tarnish his reputation as a top-notch lawyer and civil rights advocate who has literally helped free thousands of wrongfully incarcerated men and women from prison. Rather than focus on the multitude of good Sullivan has done for society, students are cherry-picking one client who has yet to be convicted of a crime and wrongfully portraying Sullivan as a co-conspirator for agreeing to represent him.
John Patrick (@john_pat_rick) is a graduate of Canisius College and Georgia Southern University. He interned for Red Alert Politics during the summer of 2012 and has continued to contribute regularly.
