Cornell Knowledge: Ex-Acting AG Sally Yates Targeted Father for Trying to Rescue Sons from Sex Trafficking; Now she’s on Cornell 7 Rape Case
Mark Harris has a very personal reason to question Cornell’s decision to put Sally Yates in charge of investigating the university’s handling of the “Cornell 7” sexual-assault case: Yates herself targeted Harris, author of Houses of the Holy: A Nightmare Web of Hate, Crime, Corruption and Child Abuse after he tried to rescue his sons from a sex-trafficking and child-abuse network. Now Cornell has selected the former acting attorney general to independently investigate its response to allegations that a female student was gang-raped by seven Chi Phi fraternity members in 2024.
For Harris, the juxtaposition is extraordinary. Anyone on the opposing side of Yates might be best served by learning from Harris.
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- Yates targeted Harris after he reported alleged child sex trafficking
- Harris says Yates was involved in retaliation against his family
- DOJ has withheld records sought by Harris through FOIA
- Cornell chose Yates to investigate the Cornell 7 allegations
- Harris questions who should investigate the investigator
Harris says that when he reported what he believed was a network involving child prostitution, child rape, child pornography and sex trafficking — allegations that he says involved his own children — the government response was not to protect his family, but to target him. Harris specifically identifies Yates as one of the government attorneys involved in the litigation and smears against him while he was attempting to protect his sons. He says the government retaliated against him, damaged his aviation career, seized his property and stripped him of civil rights while officials he reported were protected rather than investigated.
That history makes Harris a particularly provocative guest for a discussion of who gets entrusted to investigate allegations of sexual abuse — and whether investigators should themselves face scrutiny when their past conduct is challenged by a whistleblower.
Harris says Yates has no credibility to lead a sexual-assault investigation because of her alleged role in his case. As he puts it: “Well she has no credibility as she was personally involved in covering up for a child prostitution child rape child pornography ring and the DOJ is still hiding records in that case (over 2 years since my FOIA).”
Those are Harris’ allegations, which he can explain and document in detail.
Yates also carries a highly controversial political history. A longtime DOJ official and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, she became Acting Attorney General under President Trump and in January 2017 ordered DOJ lawyers not to defend his executive order restricting entry from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Trump fired her that night. Former Attorney General Eric Holder publicly praised Yates following her firing, describing her as a person of integrity whose judgment should be trusted.
Now, nearly a decade later, Yates has been chosen to examine Cornell’s response to allegations of sexual assault.
Harris can explain why, in his view, the person investigating Cornell’s handling of alleged sexual abuse should herself be subjected to questions about how she handled allegations involving children.
Relevant Article(s):
Sally Yates, former acting AG who clashed with Trump, leading Cornell assault probe
OPTIONAL Q&A:
- What was your experience with Sally Yates when you were targeted by the federal government after reporting alleged child sex trafficking?
- Why do you believe Yates specifically targeted you while you were trying to protect your sons?
- What evidence do you have regarding Yates’ involvement in the government’s handling of your case?
- Why do you believe Yates’ record should be scrutinized before she investigates alleged sexual assault at Cornell?
- What questions should Cornell students and parents be asking about Yates’ selection to lead the investigation?
- What does your case reveal about how federal agencies respond to people who report alleged child sexual abuse?
- Why does the DOJ’s continued withholding of records from your FOIA request matter to your allegations?
- What should an independent investigation of the Cornell 7 allegations look like if the investigator’s own record is being challenged?
ABOUT MARK HARRIS…
Mark Harris is a decorated former Air Force Special Operations pilot who served in a combat zone. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of North Georgia (Magna Cum Laude, top physics graduate) and a master’s in Aeronautical Engineering Technology from Arizona State University. Currently, he trains corporate pilots from around the globe and serves as an FAA examiner.
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