Thread by @kevinjonheller

1. Take some time to read about the shocking and disappointing events at @UTLaw. A hiring committee unanimously chose @ValentinaAzarov over nearly 10 others to run the school’s justly-celebrated international human rights program. thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov 2. Then a sitting judge and alumnus expressed “concern” about Azarova’s work — of course — on behalf of Palestinians. Soon enough, the Dean of the law school, over the objections of the hiring committee, Edward Iacobucci, rescinded Azarova’s offer.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov 3. A number of international-law scholars wrote to the President of @UofT to register their concern. I was one of them, as I've worked closely with Azarova on Saudi arms transfer issues, know her Palestine advocacy well, and think the world of her. She is scrupulously fair.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 4. As the article reports, @UofT claims it never made Azarova an offer, so it did not rescind one. This is what is known as a “lie.” They most certainly made her an offer. And she accepted it. It’s shocking the university would claim otherwise and will blow up in their face.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 5. Even worse, @UofT’s idiotic statement inadvertantly admits it isn’t telling the truth. The “cross-border” “legal and technical” constraints mentioned in the statementconcerned the need for Azarova to arrange her work permit!

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 6. The entire advisory board of the human-rights program has resigned in protest — and rightly so. The search has now been cancelled. If the university doesn’t change course and hire Azarova, it will be catastrophic for the program and for the law school.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 7. That would be a genuine shame, because @UTLaw is a fantastic school with some of the world’s best international lawyers. Fingers crossed the powers-that-be end up doing the right thing. thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 8. PS: this is what real #cancelculture looks like. The left gets a few lectures by noxious right-wingers called off (which is wrong!). The right systematically attempts to destroy the career of anyone who has the temerity to criticise #Israel.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 9. The Dean of @UTLaw has sent an email to faculty repeating that no offer was made and that there was no political motivation behind the discontinuation of the search. The first claim is categorically false. The second is impossible to credit.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 10. The Assistant Dean of the law school offered @ValentinaAzarov the position via Zoom on August 11. The offer included a detailed list of the offer’s terms, including salary, benefits, and pension contribution.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 11. Azarova accepted the offer, including its terms, via Zoom with the Assistant Dean on August 19. She and the Assistant Dean then had three additional Zoom calls and a WhatsApp discussion to plan the immigration process.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 12. Two past directors of @UTLaw’s international human-rights program have categorically rejected Dean Iacobucci’s claim that no offer was made. They both say the offer was made and accepted.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 13. The Assistant Dean of @UTLaw personally told the chair of the human-rights program’s advisory board, who was also on the hiring committee, that a sitting judge had contacted a senior fundraising official to express concern about Azarova’s appointment.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 14. Later, the Dean of @UTLaw, Iacobucci, admitted to the chair of the advisory board that the judge had contacted him personally.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 15. On Sept. 14, the entire @UTLaw faculty received an email from a Vienna-based lawyer falsely accusing the chair of the advisory board of supporting a complete boycott of Israel. Very odd timing.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 16. Iacobucci’s claim his decision was not politically motivated is simply not credible. He admits talking to the judge — a serious and perhaps unlawful breach of confidentiality. He has never specifically denied the judge’s opposition was based on Azarova’s Palestinian advocacy.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 17. Iacobucci must immediately release the judge’s name and provided a detailed account of everything they discussed. As it is, he sounds like the legislator who is wined and dined by a lobbyist, supports the lobbyist’s bill the next day, and then angrily denies undue influence.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 18. As for the position, it should immediately be offered to Azarova. And if it isn’t, faculty should either refuse to serve on the next hiring committee or simply offer her the position again after the next search.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 19. Other candidates, particularly serious ones, should refuse to apply for the position if it is re-advertised. Their appointment would be forever tainted by the manifest unfairness of denying the position to the best candidate because of her (honourable) Palestinian advocacy.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 20. PS: here is an email from the Assistant Dean that makes clear there was an offer and that everything was moving forward on the immigration front.

@UTLaw @ValentinaAzarov @UofT 21. And another one, even more clear.