A conservative Stanford professor has resigned from a key position within the university’s free speech program after he plotted to dig up dirt on a liberal student.
Niall Ferguson, a British historian, had been part of the California university’s Cardinal Conversations program, which aimed to bring in speakers that would ‘air contested issues’ on campus.
Ferguson stepped down after emails leaked last week showed that he was conspiring with Republican students to gather ‘opposition research’ on a left-wing student activist.
After the emails were published by the Stanford Daily, Ferguson admitted he had made an ‘error of judgment’ but said he had become ‘deeply concerned’ that the program was being taken over by ‘elements fundamentally hostile to free speech’.
Niall Ferguson, a conservative Stanford professor has resigned from a key position within the university’s free speech program after he plotted to dig up dirt on a liberal student
Ferguson had sent an email to two Republican students, John Rice-Cameron and Max Minshull, saying that ‘some opposition research on Mr O might also be worthwhile’.
He was referring to liberal Stanford student Michael Ocon.
Minshull, who was working as the professor’s research assistant, responded in the emails saying he would ‘get on’ the research.
The other conservative student on the emails, Rice-Cameron, is the son of Barack Obama’s former national security adviser Susan Rice.
In one email sent to the students, Ferguson wrote: ‘Now we turn to the more subtle game of grinding them down on the committee. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance’.
He also suggested that the original Cardinal Conversations committee should ‘all be allies against O. Whatever your past differences, bury them. Unite against the SJWs (social justice warriors)’.


He had sent an email to two Republican students, John Rice-Cameron (left) and Max Minshull (right), saying ‘opposition research’ on the student would be worthwhile

One of the conservative students included on the emails was Rice-Cameron, who is the son of Barack Obama’s former national security adviser Susan Rice (pictured above)
Rice-Cameron responded to one of Ferguson’s emails, saying: ‘Slowly, we will continue to crush the Left’s will to resist, as they will crack under pressure.’
Ferguson said his emails were prompted by student backlash to one of the program’s speakers, Charles Murray – the social scientist who has controversial claims about links between race and IQ.
Murray gave a talk on February 22, which prompted some students to complain university’s president about his inclusion in the program.
In a statement after the leaked emails were published, Ferguson said: ‘I very much regret the publication of these emails. I also regret having written them.
‘Having put a great deal effort into creating and organizing Cardinal Conversations, I was deeply concerned by the events before, during and after the event that took place on February 22.
‘It seemed to me that the Cardinal Conversations student steering committee was in danger of being taken over by elements that were fundamentally hostile to free speech.
‘It was, however, rash of me to seek to involve the Stanford Republicans, and reckless to use such inflammatory language.
‘Realizing subsequently that I had made a serious error of judgment, I resigned from Cardinal Conversations on April 16.
‘I remain hopeful that Cardinal Conversations will continue to foster free speech on the Stanford campus.’