Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Construction of $200M Trump Ballroom at the White House to Begin in September

2 hours ago

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

4 hours ago

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

6 hours ago

Wall Street Jumps as Microsoft Enters $4 Trillion Club After Results

7 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustee Susan Wittrup Responds to $162,000 Payout

23 hours ago

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

1 day ago

Kamala Harris Will Not Run for Governor of California in 2026

1 day ago

Trump Pushes for Release of Epstein, Maxwell Grand Jury Testimony

1 day ago
Fresno State Professor Apologizes for Trump Tweets
David Taub Website photo 2024
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 8 years ago on
April 12, 2017

Share

Two days after Fresno State said it would look into the controversial tweets of Professor Lars Maischak, the instructor is changing his tune.

Although the controversial tweets about President Donald Trump were from February, they did not come to public notice until Saturday when a Breitbart story exposed them. That sent off a firestorm on social media. Many in the conservative community have called for his firing. Among the more inflammatory messages from Maischak called for Trump to be hanged, a monument for Trump’s would-be assassin and disparaging remarks about Republicans and Mary, mother of Jesus.

Maischak initially took offense to Fresno State and President Joseph Castro’s offense. Maischak e-mailed the media, “I am appalled that the president of the university is allowing himself to be instrumentalized for a right-wing smear campaign.”

Now, in an e-mail to GV Wire, Maischak apologizes. The content of the e-mail (grammar appears as it came in the e-mail):

I apologize for the tone and content of my statements made on twitter.
I ask forgiveness of those who felt threatened or offended by them.

It was never my intent to harm anyone, nor to encourage others to harm anyone.

My statements each represent the end point of a dark train of thought triggered by my despair over the actions of the present U.S. government.
That is what I meant by calling them “dark predictions.”
It felt cathartic at the time to write them down.
With 28 followers on twitter at the time, I never expected them to be read by anyone but a close circle of acquaintances who would know to place them in their context.
To treat twitter as of no more consequence than a journal was a poor decision.

I have deleted my twitter account, to preclude the possibility that anyone reading my statements in the future would take them as encouragement to act violently or unlawfully.

In this spirit, I am prepared to take full responsibility for my statements.

 

Castro sent this message to the media:

“I appreciate Dr. Maischak’s apology and willingness to take accountability for the statements made on his Twitter account. In his note to me, Dr. Maischak reiterated that it was not his intent to incite violence or harm others, however, Fresno State has a responsibility to continue a review of the situation. As previously stated, the University takes this matter seriously and is handling it in accordance with applicable law, policy and the requirements of the faculty collective bargaining unit agreement.”

Fresno State is on spring break this week. Classes, including Maischak’s American history course, resume Monday, April 17.

Contact David Taub

Phone: 559-492-4037 / e-mail

This story was not subject to the approval of Granville Homes.

 

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Adopt Eevee and She’ll Bring Sunshine Into Your Life

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Authorities Arrest Suspect, Recover Firearms and Drugs in Fowler

DON'T MISS

Countries With No Trade Deal Will Hear From US by Midnight, White House Says

DON'T MISS

Trump’s Envoy Meets Netanyahu for Gaza Aid, Ceasefire Push

DON'T MISS

Fresno’s $100M Warehouse Project Means Big Things for City: Dyer

DON'T MISS

Construction of $200M Trump Ballroom at the White House to Begin in September

DON'T MISS

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

DON'T MISS

Costa Has ‘Concerns’ About Newsom’s Plan to Copy Possible Texas Gerrymander

DON'T MISS

Yosemite’s Largest Campground Reopens Friday After $26.2 Million Renovation

DON'T MISS

Two Men Shot During Fight at Tulare Apartment Complex

UP NEXT

Fresno County Authorities Arrest Suspect, Recover Firearms and Drugs in Fowler

UP NEXT

Fresno’s $100M Warehouse Project Means Big Things for City: Dyer

UP NEXT

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

UP NEXT

US Navy Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field. Pilot ‘Safe’ After Ejecting

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Nathaniel Smith

UP NEXT

Fresno Illustrator Debuts as Author With Gamer’s ‘100 First Words’ Children’s Book

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Killed in Hit-and-Run, Suspect Vehicle Located

UP NEXT

Community and Saint Agnes Named Among Best Regional Hospitals

UP NEXT

US Navy Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field. Pilot ‘Safe’ After Ejecting

UP NEXT

Madera Man Sentenced to 34 Years to Life in Fresno Murder Case

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Trump’s Envoy Meets Netanyahu for Gaza Aid, Ceasefire Push

1 hour ago

Fresno’s $100M Warehouse Project Means Big Things for City: Dyer

2 hours ago

Construction of $200M Trump Ballroom at the White House to Begin in September

2 hours ago

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

3 hours ago

Costa Has ‘Concerns’ About Newsom’s Plan to Copy Possible Texas Gerrymander

3 hours ago

Yosemite’s Largest Campground Reopens Friday After $26.2 Million Renovation

4 hours ago

Two Men Shot During Fight at Tulare Apartment Complex

4 hours ago

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

4 hours ago

US Navy Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field. Pilot ‘Safe’ After Ejecting

4 hours ago

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

6 hours ago

Adopt Eevee and She’ll Bring Sunshine Into Your Life

Eevee is a sweet and gentle soul. She’s been a good mom to her kittens, even at the young age she had them. Now a year old, she can be shy a...

12 minutes ago

Eevee Is GV Wire's Adoptable Cat of the Week, July 31, 2025
12 minutes ago

Adopt Eevee and She’ll Bring Sunshine Into Your Life

Fresno County authorities helped Fowler police arrest a suspect on Thursday, July 31, 2025, and seize stolen firearms, drugs, ammunition, and cash following a grand theft investigation. (Fowler PD)
17 minutes ago

Fresno County Authorities Arrest Suspect, Recover Firearms and Drugs in Fowler

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 31, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
41 minutes ago

Countries With No Trade Deal Will Hear From US by Midnight, White House Says

Palestinians carry aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, July 30, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

Trump’s Envoy Meets Netanyahu for Gaza Aid, Ceasefire Push

2 hours ago

Fresno’s $100M Warehouse Project Means Big Things for City: Dyer

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds an image of a rendering of the new White House ballroom to be built, during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 31, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
2 hours ago

Construction of $200M Trump Ballroom at the White House to Begin in September

A three-alarm commercial building fire near Tipton on Thursday, July 31, 2025, prompted a large response from Tulare and Kings County fire crews, with no injuries reported and the cause under investigation. (Tulare County FD)
3 hours ago

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

3 hours ago

Costa Has ‘Concerns’ About Newsom’s Plan to Copy Possible Texas Gerrymander

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend