Nancy Pelosi cancels Cornell University event amid scrutiny of 2024 gang rape investigation

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has canceled an October 15, 2026, Cornell University-affiliated event in New York City amid national outrage over the university's handling of a 2024 gang rape allegation. The victim, Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit alleging she was drugged and assaulted by seven Chi Phi fraternity members. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, citing a loss of faith in local District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who admitted he never reviewed police transcripts where Doe explicitly stated she was raped before he declined to file charges.

Cancellation of Nancy Pelosi's event

• ▪House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi canceled an October 15, 2026, event in New York City with the Cornell Institute of Politics and Global Affairs due to the sexual assault allegations and Cornell's response.
• ▪The Cornell Daily Sun, Cornell University's independent student newspaper, was the first outlet to report the cancellation of Nancy Pelosi's upcoming university-affiliated event.

Reports to campus police

• ▪Jane Doe first reported the alleged assault to the Cornell University Police Department on November 8, 2024, and returned for interviews on November 14 and 15, 2024.
• ▪A November 2024 Cornell University Police interview transcript reveals Jane Doe explicitly stated, "I can say with 100% confidence I was raped," and described being physically hit and completely incapacitated.

Tompkins County District Attorney's decisions

• ▪Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to file criminal charges in 2024, stating Jane Doe's signed statement described her participation in drug use and sexual conduct as voluntary.
• ▪Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced on September 28, 2026, that his office would reopen the criminal investigation into the 2024 Cornell University fraternity rape allegations.
• ▪Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten admitted he never reviewed the campus police interview transcript where Jane Doe explicitly stated she was raped before deciding not to prosecute.

Jane Doe's civil lawsuit

• ▪Jane Doe's civil lawsuit names Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, her sorority, and the seven accused men as defendants, alleging sexual assault, negligence, and inadequate disciplinary action.
• ▪A former Cornell University student, identified as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit on September 16, 2026, alleging she was drugged with ketamine and gang raped by seven Chi Phi fraternity members on October 19, 2024.

Appointment of a special prosecutor

• ▪New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order appointing state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate and potentially prosecute the Cornell University gang rape case.
• ▪New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated she appointed Attorney General Letitia James because she lost faith in the Tompkins County District Attorney's ability to fairly and effectively oversee the investigation.

Cornell University's response and handling

• ▪Cornell University agreed to hire outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation into how the university handled Jane Doe's 2024 gang rape allegations following public backlash and pressure from Governor Kathy Hochul.
• ▪Cornell University quietly removed a sentence from its online FAQ page that previously claimed campus police had shared all investigatory information with the Tompkins County District Attorney's Office.
• ▪Jane Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, stated that Cornell Health failed to offer a rape kit or document injuries when Jane Doe disclosed she contracted a urinary tract infection in a traumatic way on October 22, 2024.

Debatable claims

• ▪Governor Hochul's appointment of a special prosecutor in the Cornell case is justified
• ▪Cornell's Title IX process is an inadequate substitute for criminal prosecution in sexual assault cases
• ▪Pelosi's cancellation of the Cornell event is a justified protest of the university's response