In a “statement of interest” filed in federal court Thursday, the Department of Justice advised a judge to deny UC Berkeley’s motion to throw out a lawsuit from the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) and Young America’s Foundation (YAF). The lawsuit, initially filed in April, alleged UC Berkeley violated conservative students’ First Amendment rights by thwarting their plans to host speakers on campus.
In a press release on the new statement, Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand wrote, “This Department of Justice will not stand by idly while public universities violate students’ constitutional rights.”