Oct 3, 2026 · 44 min
Cornell case tests accountability after Me Too backlash
Cornell and the Age of Impunity
The discussion examines how criminal, civil, and university systems can protect due process while confronting the underprosecution of sexual violence.
- 1The Cornell allegations expose tensions among criminal prosecution, civil litigation, university discipline, and shifting Title IX rules.
- 2The panel argues that consent requires more than avoiding legal violations, demanding care and responsibility in sexual relationships.
- 3The midterm discussion links political misconduct, redistricting, and civic participation to broader questions about institutional accountability.
Don't miss
The panel’s debate over whether consent alone is sufficient, or whether sexual ethics require care and responsibility beyond legal compliance.
The brief
Michelle Cottle, Jamel Bowie, and David French examine a lawsuit alleging Cornell fraternity members drugged and raped a former student, asking why the case still resonates years after Me Too.
The panel weighs three overlapping systems—criminal prosecution, civil litigation, and university discipline—and the difficulty of protecting survivors without railroading accused students.
The sharpest debate concerns consent: is meeting the legal minimum enough, or should sexual ethics demand care, responsibility, and stronger cultural guardrails?
The conversation then turns to Kansas and Texas races, redistricting, political misconduct, and whether Republicans can make a positive case for unified government.
The episode closes by connecting accountability to civic participation, including postcard-writing efforts aimed at registered voters who rarely cast ballots.