The University of Michigan said it will investigate lewd messages attributed to Regent Jordan Acker in a recent article in The Guardian.
Acker didn’t reply to a Free Press request for comment. His lawyer told The Guardian that Acker has never been on Slack, the messaging platform referenced in the story, and doubts “the authenticity of the alleged ‘Slack screengrabs.’”
The Guardian story said the messages included sexual comments about a Democratic strategist and lewd remarks about a female U-M student which included her picture.
The story about the messages appeared just before the Michigan Democratic Party Convention at which Acker lost his bid for nomination for another eight-year term. Current Regent Paul Brown and Dearborn attorney Amir Makled earned the party’s two nominations for regent slots on the November ballot.
Acker’s term expires at the end of this year.
U-M, in a statement posted on its Public Affairs page, said that it was aware of the story and the allegations against Acker.
“We are aware of disturbing messages allegedly attributed to Regent Acker in an article recently published in The Guardian, including messages potentially referencing a University of Michigan student,” Regents Mark Bernstein and Mike Behm wrote. “We immediately reported this matter and expect it to be investigated thoroughly, fairly, and expeditiously.”
Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications Paul Corliss said the university planned to hire an outside firm to conduct the investigation.
The message from Bernstein and Behm came a day after the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, made up of faculty members, blasted the messages.
“The conduct described in this report is disgusting, a violation of trust and professional standards, and unbecoming of the high office to which Regent Acker has been elected,” the Senate Advisory Committee message said at the time. “If these allegations are true, Regent Acker should resign his position immediately.”
The controversy came a little more than five years after former U-M Regent Ron Weiser was urged to resign over remarks he made at a meeting of Republicans in Oakland County. Weiser was serving as the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party at the time when he referred to the state’s top three elected leaders, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, all Democrats, as witches, saying “”they are ready for the burning at the stake.”
Weiser also was critical of two of Michigan’s Republican Congressmen, Peter Meijer and Fred Upton, who voted in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump.
“Other than assassination, I have no other way other than voting them out, ok?” Weiser was heard saying on a video of the remarks as the audience laughed.
Weiser said that his comments were taken out of context but that he should have been more careful in his word choice. He said he would never advocate violence.
Five of his fellow regents at the time, including Acker, called for Weiser to resign because of the remarks.
“Accountability is not cancellation, and the reason that we are here today is because (Weiser) refuses to be accountable for his actions,” Acker said when the Board of Regents voted to censure Weiser. “I believe in forgiveness for you and anyone else, but there is no room on this board for those who advocate violence. Make no mistake, that is precisely what you did.”
Weiser declined to resign but, like Acker, he failed to earn his party’s nomination for a slot on the ballot in 2024.
Republicans at their convention that year nominated Carl Meyers, a former state party treasurer, and businessman Sevag Vartanian. Meyers won his race and now serves on U-M’s Board of Regents.
Weiser, a U-M alum and businessman who has donated more than $150 million to the school, is scheduled to be one of three commencement speakers at the school’s graduation ceremony on May 2 at Michigan Stadium.
The school plans to award him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com On X: @jwisely
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: U-M to investigate allegations of lewd texts by Regent Jordan Acker
Reporting by John Wisely and Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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