Ben Sasse, former University of Florida president, spent millions hiring his Republican allies

How Right-Wing Billionaires Infiltrated Higher Education

The key, Pierson explained, was to fund the conservative intelligentsia in such a way that it would not ‘raise questions about academic integrity.’ Instead of trying to earmark a chair or dictate a faculty appointment, both of which he noted were bound to ‘generate fierce controversy,’ he suggested that conservative donors look for like-minded faculty members whose influence could be enlarged by outside funding.”

“They must be given grants, grants, and more grants in exchange for books, books, and more books. [To be clear, books written by the Ivy League professors Olin bought; not books for students]

They know their ideas are bad for us and they’re forcing them through anyway. I’m sure nothing we don’t already imagine, but the linked excerpt from Jane Mayer’s Dark Money brings receipts.

Shout out to the Independent Florida Alligator here. Sometimes amateurish, parochial, and overdramatic, but always a legitimate outlet where the kids cycling through learn to be real journalists. Good on them for the reporting on how this asshole was simply funneling money to his friends and McKinsey.

Sasse was a stain, and even as an alum who tries not to be too overly rah-rah, I'm extremely glad to see him gone.

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