Scott Jaschik reports:
Donald Trump and his representatives threatened the colleges he attended and the College Board that he would sue them if records about his academic performance ever became public, Michael Cohen said Wednesday in testimony to a House of Representatives panel.
In explaining why he calls the president a con man, Cohen said, in prepared testimony, “When I say con man, I’m talking about a man who declares himself brilliant but directed me to threaten his high school, his colleges and the College Board to never release his grades or SAT scores. As I mentioned, I’m giving the committee today copies of a letter I sent at Mr. Trump’s direction threatening these schools with civil and criminal actions if Mr. Trump’s grades or SAT scores were ever disclosed without his permission.”
Read more on Inside Higher Ed.
Would this be an okay time to remind everyone that FERPA has no individual cause of action? Trump could not have sued over FERPA violations. All he could do civilly would be to ask the US Department of Education to cut off all federal funds to any university or college that had revealed his protected education records— if those entities were receiving federal supports.