Watchdogs Take Action: Lawsuit Filed Against US Government Over Qatar’s Billions in University Funding

A new legal fight is emerging over Qatar’s financial sway on major American universities. Watchdog groups are pushing for more transparency regarding the billions of dollars from foreign sources flowing into U.S. higher education.

The Zachor Legal Institute, along with Judicial Watch, has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. They want records related to Qatar’s funding at five elite universities: Georgetown, Northwestern, Cornell, Harvard, and the University of Michigan.

This lawsuit follows Texas A&M University’s February 2024 decision to close its Qatar campus. This move came after a lawsuit revealed that the university received nearly half a billion dollars from Qatar, a country that provides a base for Hamas leadership.

Since 2007, Qatar has reportedly funneled around $6 billion into American universities. Critics indicate that this financial influence might have given Qatar substantial power over U.S. political discussions and educational environments.

Marc Greendorfer, president of the Zachor Legal Institute, expressed concern over the lack of transparency about Qatari funding in U.S. universities. He felt let down by the previous administration’s refusal to disclose crucial information about foreign influences in American education.

Tom Fitton from Judicial Watch urged the Department of Education to quickly reveal details regarding Qatari funding, criticizing the last administration’s inaction on this issue.

The lawsuit stems from the Department of Education’s failure to respond to Zachor’s FOIA request made in March 2024. The request sought crucial documents related to Qatar’s engagement with various university programs, including Georgetown’s campus in Doha and the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.

These concerns about Qatar’s influence come in the wake of a significant corruption scandal in Europe, where Qatar was accused of bribing EU officials to sway policy in its favor.

The current legal action builds on previous successful efforts by these organizations. They spent over five years in court to uncover details about Texas A&M’s funding by Qatar. Their efforts resulted in the revelation of more than $522 million in funding to the university from 2013 to 2018. This included about $485 million from the Qatar Foundation.

More troubling details suggested that Texas A&M may have allowed Qatar access to sensitive research and intellectual property. Consequently, the university board decided to close its Doha campus after discovering these arrangements.

Critics argue that Qatar’s funding in American colleges has contributed to the spread of anti-Israel sentiment and dampened criticism regarding its ties to Hamas and other extremist groups. They hope that the current U.S. administration will take steps to expose such foreign interference, especially in light of recent pro-Hamas movements on college campuses.

The Zachor Legal Institute, dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism, continues to highlight Qatar’s global influence. Their ongoing legal challenge aims to uncover the impacts of foreign funding on American higher education.

Qatar’s influence isn’t just found in universities. Reports show that the Qatar Foundation International is also funding courses in K-12 schools across various U.S. districts, often promoting narratives that diminish the Jewish connection to Israel.

Additionally, Qatar faced criticism from the U.S. State Department for allegedly promoting anti-Semitism in its own educational system.

The Zachor Legal Institute has also reported that AJ+, a branch of the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera, has ignored requests to register as a foreign agent under U.S. law.

As of now, the Department of Education has not publicly addressed the lawsuit, and the five universities involved have not provided statements regarding this legal matter.