Ilya Shapiro is seen discussing the 2020-21 Supreme Court term in an interview with the John Locke Foundation (Aug. 3, 2021) (via YouTube/screengrab)
The Georgetown Law professor who was placed on leave earlier this year after tweeting that President Joe Biden‘s pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court would amount to a “lesser” qualified appointee officially has his job back.
Ilya Shapiro announced Thursday on Twitter that he will be heading to work as the Executive Director of Georgetown Law’s Center for the Constitution on Friday.
He had been on administrative leave since January, following a series of Twitter posts in which he bemoaned Biden’s campaign pledge to nominate a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
“Objectively best pick for Biden is Sri Srinivasan, who is solid prog & v smart. Even has identity politics benefit of being first Asian (Indian) American,” Shapiro tweeted on Jan. 27. “But alas doesn’t fit into the latest intersectionality hierarchy so we’ll get lesser black woman. Thank heaven for small favors?”
“Because Biden said he’s only consider black women for SCOTUS, his nominee will always have an asterisk attached,” Shapiro also wrote. “Fitting that the Court takes up affirmative action next term.”
Shapiro’s tweets came shortly before Justice Stephen Breyer, a Bill Clinton appointee, officially announced his retirement from the bench.
The following day, Shapiro walked his tweet back: “I apologize. I meant no offense, but it was an inartful tweet. I have taken it down.”
Days later, William M. Treanor, the dean of Georgetown Law, announced that he had placed Shapiro on administrative leave pending an investigation.
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