Senator Sasha Renée Pérez issues statement on the Trump Administration’s demand that UCLA pay $1 billion in fines in exchange for releasing federal grant funding

SACRAMENTO – Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) has issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s demand that UCLA pay $1 billion in fines in exchange for releasing frozen federal medical and science grant funding:

“President Trump’s attempt to extort $1 billion from our public education system is the action of an authoritarian who is attempting to strong-arm one of the top public research institutions in the nation - in yet another effort to attack California. As the Chair of California’s Senate Education Committee, I believe in defending academic freedom. I stand with UCLA and its administration, faculty, staff, students and alumni and strongly support California’s latest planned lawsuit to challenge this corrupt federal administration in the courtroom. We must not allow this one man to wield so much unchecked power.”

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Senator Sasha Renée Pérez is Chair of the Senate Education Committee and represents the 25th Senate District that includes the communities of Glendale, Pasadena, Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Claremont, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Temple City, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, and San Antonio Heights.