Cornell University has tapped Sally Yates, a former Obama administration deputy attorney general fired by President Donald Trump during his first term, to lead an independent review of the Ivy League school’s handling of sexual assault allegations.

Yates’ appointment comes as Cornell faces scrutiny over its response to an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in October 2024. As part of the independent review, 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.

Yates brings decades of Justice Department experience to Cornell’s review, along with a public profile shaped by her confrontation with Trump and subsequent involvement in the Russia investigation.

President Barack Obama nominated Yates as deputy attorney general in January 2015, and the Senate confirmed her four months later in an 84-12 vote. She previously served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, a position Obama appointed her to in 2010.

CORNELL PRESIDENT SAYS UNIVERSITY ‘MUST DO BETTER’ ON HANDLING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS

During the presidential transition, Trump’s incoming administration asked Yates to remain as acting attorney general while his nominee, Jeff Sessions, awaited Senate confirmation. But her tenure lasted just 10 days.

Trump fired Yates on Jan. 30, 2017, after she instructed Justice Department lawyers not to defend his executive order restricting travel and refugee admissions from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

«The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States,» the White House said in a statement announcing her firing.

Yates maintained that she was not convinced the directive was lawful.

«My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is after consideration of all the facts,» Yates said in a letter. «In addition, I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution’s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right.»

Yates returned to the national spotlight in May 2017, testifying before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Her testimony detailed warnings she had given White House Counsel Don McGahn about Trump’s then-national security adviser, Michael Flynn, shortly before her dismissal.

CORNELL RAPE ALLEGATIONS PROMPT NY ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES TO OPEN ‘ACTIVE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION’

Flynn had discussed Obama administration sanctions against Russia with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December 2016, despite then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence publicly denying that sanctions were discussed.

After reviewing FBI intelligence, Yates warned McGahn that Flynn had misled administration officials and could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail because Moscow knew what had actually been discussed.

Flynn resigned in February 2017, 18 days after Yates’ initial warning. He later pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his conversations with Kislyak.

Before her confrontation with Trump, Yates spent 27 years at the Justice Department, prosecuting white-collar fraud and public corruption cases. She also served as lead prosecutor in the case against Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph, a prosecution then-Attorney General Eric Holder highlighted when Obama selected her as deputy attorney general.

Yates returned to King & Spalding as a partner in May 2018, later leading an independent investigation into sexual misconduct and abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation in October 2021, the investigation included more than 200 interviews and uncovered widespread verbal and emotional abuse, sexual misconduct and repeated failures by teams and league officials to address complaints.

The findings, released in October 2022, documented how coaches accused of misconduct continued working despite previous complaints. Yates’ report recommended stronger background checks, clearer reporting procedures and greater accountability for teams and league officials.

Cornell said it selected Yates and her firm because of «their expertise in higher education and extensive experience conducting independent investigations for boards and institutions.»

INSIDE EXPLOSIVE CORNELL RAPE ALLEGATIONS: 7 MEN ACCUSED, CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS AND A POLITICAL FIRESTORM

Yates’ involvement in the case brings another prominent Trump adversary into the controversy, days after New York Attorney General Letitia James, who previously brought a civil fraud case against Trump and has faced his calls for her prosecution, was appointed to oversee a separate state investigation.

Cornell previously investigated the alleged assault and imposed suspensions and expulsions on several students accused of involvement. A lawsuit filed against the university by the alleged victim has since brought renewed national attention to the case and raised questions about the school’s response.

The two investigations have separate mandates. James’ investigation will examine the case at the center of the controversy, while Yates’ review will assess Cornell’s broader policies and handling of sexual assault and dating violence allegations.

«As part of that broader mandate, Yates and her team will conduct a detailed review of the university’s response to the allegations involving Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024, including whether Cornell followed its policies and procedures in responding to the matter,» the school said in a statement.

Digital reached out to Yates for comment.

controversies education, campus controversy, attorney general, justice department, new york

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JERUSALEM — The growing number of Israeli army battlefield life-saving measures have emerged during the Iranian regime-backed multi-front war against the Jewish state that those new technologies are helping the U.S. too.

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Fox News Digital was briefed on the most current insights and data on Israel’s success rate in saving soldiers’ lives from a senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) medical specialist in battlefield medicine.

The grueling Israeli ground offensive against the U.S.-designated terrorist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which started in Oct. 2023, following the Jihadi organization’s invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, introduced cutting-edge medical tactics to the battlefield.

THE US-ISRAEL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE – PARTNERSHIP, NOT CHARITY

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IDF troops carry an injured soldier out of burning building in Gaza. (IDF)

Hamas brutally murdered over 1,200 people in southern Israel, including more than forty Americans, and kidnapped 251 people.

An IDF spokesman laid out the new advances: «The IDF Medical Corps adapted its operational capabilities during the war, including casualty evacuation, innovative medical technologies and providing treatment under fire in a challenging terrain. «

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The IDF medical specialist told Fox News Digital that during «the Second War in Lebanon [in 2006 against the Lebanese-based terrorist group Hezbollah] it took 15 to 20 minutes for advanced life support to reach a casualty. Now advanced life support can reach a casualty immediately or within 4 minutes.»

IDF troops evacuate an injured soldier from Gaza during intense fighting with Hamas terrorists.  (IDF)

The placement of «medical personnel on the battlefield, including a doctor in every company, allows the IDF to make critical decisions early on during the care process, said the IDF medical specialist. The use of helicopters to deliver seriously wounded soldiers to medical facilities, as seen in video footage provided to Fox News Digital, plays a critical role in preventing death.

The second advance is, according to the IDF medical specialist, «rapid evacuation,» which means «We can evacuate casualties to Israeli hospitals rapidly.»

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5 OF AMERICA’S GREATEST MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS REVEALED AS THE NATION MARKS 250 YEARS

IDF forces are seen operating in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip. (IDF Spokesman’s Unit)

There has been «an emphasis on the use of blood products since 2013 on stopping bleeding,» said the IDF medical specialist. He added that the IDF is the first medical organization that «used plasma on the point of injury instead of salt and water.»

He noted the IDF implemented a sophisticated rapid-fire system for providing blood to injured soldiers. A telling example: Blood was placed on the back of first responders in coolers to stop bleeding and control the hemorrhaging. The method «saved significant numbers» of injured soldiers.

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An additional improvement in lifesaving first response medicine in the war zone involves an «advanced system of learning and the collection of data that transmits the data over technical networks so that every provider can see patient data.»

The IDF specialist said that «Every relevant medical officer on the chain can see the patient data. This system had very good results.»

IDF rapid medical evacuation of wounded soldiers from Lebanon via helicopter. (IDF)

The case mortality rate is the best index for quantifying care, said the IDF medical specialist. The results have been dramatic. According to IDF data, the mortality rate during the 2006 war against Hezbollah was 15% in contrast to 7.1% during 2023. 

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The IDF medical specialist said Israel’s military medicine apparatus has relied on the bedrock 2012 U.S. study «Death on the battlefield (2001–2011): Implications for the future of combat casualty care,» which covered American medical aid during the war in Iraq.

IDF medical personnel with wounded soldiers in Lebanon waiting for the arrival of the helicopter. (IDF)

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, is also a clinical professor of medicine and a practicing internist at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital, «Battle field advances based on the latest technologies that have been developed in Israel, including surgical techniques as well as the latest burn treatment Nexobrid help not just today’s wounded but fuel medical and surgical advances around the world.»  

Siegel’s latest book «The Angels Among Us: How God’s Messengers Play a Role in Healing,» features a chapter involving a medical rescue during the Gaza war.

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The U.S. Army and the IDF have been cooperating in how to advance battlefield medicine for years.

MICHIGAN MILITARY EXERCISE PREPARING THOUSANDS OF TROOPS FOR CHANGING BATTLEFIELD

The IDF medical team rushed the wounded soldier in Lebanon to a helicopter for airlift to hospital. (IDF)

According to an April 2026 U.S. military report titled «Israeli Defense Force Medical Lessons Learned,» the American military authors explained in the 78-page study the pressing need to absorb Israel’s advances from the start of the Swords of Iron War campaign in 2023.

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The U.S. Army wrote, «In the fields of operational health and force readiness, the IDF executed proactive public health measures – including robust bio-surveillance, forward-positioned preventive medicine teams and stringent food safety protocols – to mitigate health threats and maintain operational readiness.»

The American army warned that «Despite Israel’s preparations, it had to undergo a painful process of transformation in contact that the U.S. now has the opportunity to avoid. The time for preparation is now. Simply possessing clinical and tactical skills is insufficient.»

An IDF spokesman told Fox News Digital that the U.S. Army study of Israel’s emergency health care providers during the wars» was a joint collaboration, and American officers came to learn from the IDF.»

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Benjamin Weinthal reports on Israel, Iran, Syria, Turkey and Europe. You can follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenWeinthal, and email him at benjamin.weinthal@fox.com

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Las autoridades de Gobernación, Defensa y el Organismo Judicial solicitaron al Congreso de Guatemala más de Q 23 mil millones para 2027, con el objetivo de incorporar agentes policiales, construir cárceles de máxima seguridad, ampliar la cobertura de juzgados y modernizar la infraestructura estatal.

La Comisión de Finanzas Públicas y Moneda, presidida por el diputado Willy Ralda, del bloque Cabal, recibió las exposiciones de las tres instituciones durante una audiencia transmitida por el Canal del Congreso bajo la política de Congreso de Puertas Abiertas.

El Ministerio de la Defensa Nacional planteó un presupuesto de Q 6.374 millones, frente a los Q 4.643 millones asignados para 2026. La propuesta contempla Q 5.076 millones para funcionamiento y Q 1.298 millones para inversión.

Más patrullas, armas y nuevos agentes para la Policía Nacional Civil

El ministro de Gobernación, Marco Antonio Villeda, pidió Q 10.490 millones para 2027, Q 1.349 millones más que los Q 9.753 millones vigentes. El 95,7% de esos recursos se destinaría a gastos de funcionamiento y el 4,3% a inversión.

La cartera prevé asignar Q 444 millones al Bono de Bienestar Policial, Q 95 millones para adquirir cinco mil armas y Q 365 millones para comprar 800 patrullas y mil motocicletas. Otros Q 64 millones financiarían mobiliario y equipos como casilleros, cámaras y neumáticos.

Villeda sostuvo que la inversión busca enfrentar la falta de movilidad de la Policía Nacional Civil, que no realiza una compra significativa de vehículos desde 2019. El ministro relató el caso de una vecina de Mazatenango que no recibió asistencia durante una emergencia porque no había patrullas disponibles.

El funcionario indicó que el proceso para adquirir 540 patrullas ya concluyó y que los vehículos serían entregados durante la primera quincena de noviembre. También afirmó que la meta del Gobierno es incorporar 13.500 agentes de la PNC durante el período presidencial, 1.375 más que el objetivo inicial fijado por el presidente Bernardo Arévalo.

“Preferimos hacer una pausa, reordenar los temas, mejorar el tema de la carrera penitenciaria y continuar ya con unas bases sólidas”, señaló el ministro.

La cartera prevé concluir entre noviembre y diciembre de 2027 el Centro de Cumplimiento de Condena de Máxima Seguridad de Masagua, Escuintla. La obra forma parte de 13 proyectos de inversión registrados en el Sistema Nacional de Inversión Pública, entre ellos la mejora del Centro de Cumplimiento de Condenas de Flores, Petén, y el remozamiento de comisarías, con 60 intervenciones ya terminadas.

Villeda también pidió aumentar en 110% los fondos destinados a los servicios de gobierno departamental. La medida busca acompañar una modificación al reglamento orgánico interno de las gobernaciones, aún pendiente ante la Oficina Nacional de Servicio Civil.

“Los gobernadores están involucrados en todo, pero no mandan absolutamente nada, ni tienen el personal correspondiente para lograr el propósito que requiere su función”, afirmó.

El Organismo Judicial busca duplicar sus recursos y crear 25 juzgados

La presidenta saliente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia y del Organismo Judicial, Claudia Paredes, solicitó Q 6.500 millones para 2027, casi el doble de los Q 3.308,8 millones asignados durante el ejercicio vigente. La magistrada asistió junto con Jenny Alvarado Tení, presidenta electa de ambas instituciones.

El Ministerio de Finanzas Públicas estimó Q 4.359 millones para el Organismo Judicial dentro del proyecto presupuestario. Paredes reclamó Q 2.141 millones adicionales para aplicar leyes aprobadas recientemente, entre ellas la Ley de Competencia, la Ley Antipandillas, reformas al Código Civil y la Ley de Insolvencias.

La planificación incluye 12 nuevas salas, 14 juzgados y tribunales, siete proyectos administrativos, 42 iniciativas tecnológicas y siete obras de infraestructura judicial en Villa Nueva, Izabal, Petén y Jutiapa. En total, el organismo proyecta habilitar 25 juzgados, de los cuales 23 estarían ubicados fuera de la capital.

“Hay una asignación de Q 777 millones orientados principalmente a fortalecer los órganos jurisdiccionales, unidades administrativas existentes, implementar nuevos órganos jurisdiccionales, ampliar la cobertura institucional, modernizar y fortalecer la infraestructura tecnológica e incrementar la capacidad para mejorar la eficiencia de prestaciones judiciales”, explicó Paredes.

La magistrada advirtió que, sin los recursos adicionales, el presupuesto alcanzaría únicamente para pagar la nómina actual y servicios básicos como electricidad, agua y telecomunicaciones, necesarios para desarrollar audiencias virtuales. Guatemala cuenta con ocho jueces por cada 100.000 habitantes, mientras que los estándares internacionales citados por Paredes recomiendan 18.

La propuesta de Defensa financiaría el equipamiento de unidades militares, el mantenimiento de caminos, obras de infraestructura y el refuerzo de capacidades estratégicas. El viceministro de la Defensa Nacional, Jorge Lemus, detalló la compra prevista de 2.600 fusiles, 59 ametralladoras, 11.220 tolvas y 57 lanzagranadas.

La institución también proyecta ampliar las operaciones terrestres, aéreas y marítimas, además de ejecutar 300.000 metros de dragado. Sus estimaciones contemplan acciones de gestión de riesgos para 6,3 millones de guatemaltecos, tareas de protección marítima, lacustre y fluvial para 2,9 millones, y operaciones de seguridad interior y exterior para 18,49 millones de habitantes.

Lemus confirmó retrasos en la construcción del Centro de Prevención El Triunfo, en Morales, Izabal. El Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército prevé entregar la cárcel entre agosto y septiembre de 2027, si las condiciones climáticas permiten mantener el ritmo de las obras.

Congreso de la República de Guatemala,Guatemala,reunión de trabajo,diputados