A college in Maine has uninvited a conservative speaker after community backlash over the speaker’s views.
Leonard Leo’s invitation to participate in the College of the Atlantic’s public policy lecture series was rescinded by the school after alumni voiced concerns about Leo’s conservative positions.
Leo, who is the co-chair of the Federalist Society, had been slated to introduce Heritage Foundation President Kay Cole James at next week’s annual Champlain Institute.
A spokesperson for the college cited logistical issues and “issues many community members had with his values” as the reason he was uninvited. Leo’s extensive work experience includes lobbying to appoint conservative Supreme Court justices including Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.
Kay C. James, president of the Heritage Foundation, shared her reaction to the decision exclusively with YAF:
“The bullying nature of the radical left’s cancel culture is toxic to a civil society,” James said. “We’ve seen this dangerous trend play out all across America and now it’s come to the College of the Atlantic and claimed another victim, my friend Leonard Leo. College campuses should be a place where we debate ideas and welcome diverse voices. Civility, even in our disagreements, is vital to fostering freedom and liberty for all; to preserve them, we must find the courage to defy the mob.”
