U-M Regent Embroiled in Alleged Lewd Message Scandal

Published: 18 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The University of Michigan stands at a precarious and tense political crossroads right now. A prominent regent now faces serious allegations regarding offensive messages sent within private channels. Jordan Acker currently serves as a key regent for the large public university system. He has recently spearheaded a vigorous campaign against students involved in pro-Palestinian campus protests. New reports indicate that Acker allegedly sent graphic sexual comments about a political strategist. These messages reportedly originated within a private Slack group used by many professional associates. The digital correspondence also includes highly inappropriate remarks regarding a female university student online. A picture of this student and her friends was shared alongside these vulgar comments. These revelations emerged only days before a pivotal Democratic primary convention for the board.

The board of regents functions as the primary governing body for this large institution. This specific election remains notably intense as various candidates hold starkly different political views. Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian interests are currently clashing over these two critical vacant seats. The race has now become a central flashpoint for broader debates about campus free speech. Acker is well known as a confrontational and staunchly pro-Israel leader at the university. He is an attorney who actively recruited the state attorney general for specific legal actions. These highly unusual prosecutions targeted many students participating in recent campus demonstrations against university policies. During his tenure, the board also managed a sprawling undercover surveillance operation against students. These aggressive prosecutions and surveillance measures were later dropped following various investigative media reports. Acker has also faced significant public criticism for dismantling diversity and inclusion initiatives recently. He moved to end these established programs under considerable pressure from President Donald Trump.

Amir Makled is a progressive defense attorney currently challenging Acker for the board seat. Makled works in Dearborn and has represented numerous pro-Palestinian protesters who faced these prosecutions. He enjoys strong support among the left flank of the Democratic party in Michigan. Many supporters feel deep frustration regarding the recent harsh crackdown on student protest activities. They are also concerned about the school’s strained relations with various campus labor unions. The Guardian obtained access to the specific messages sent between the years of 2020. The messages were posted in a Slack group featuring roughly thirty different professional peers. These individuals primarily discuss sports and local Michigan politics rather than official university business. The Guardian is currently withholding the name of the strategist to protect her personal privacy. One specific message claims that a friend had a sexual encounter with the strategist. The message describes this event in vivid and extremely inappropriate terms regarding her character. The correspondence continues in a similar tone throughout various exchanges within that digital space.

Acker’s legal counsel issued an email stating his client has never utilized Slack software. The attorney also expressed significant doubts regarding the overall authenticity of the alleged digital screenshots. The Guardian directly asked if Acker explicitly denied writing the messages in the group. His attorney responded that current understandings of his denial are neither correct nor entirely incorrect. Journalists carefully reviewed numerous conversations held within the Slack group over several different years. They also cross-referenced an email address linked to the Slack account with his personal. Six different members of the group confirmed seeing these messages when they were originally sent. These individuals stated that Acker provided these lewd comments without any provocation from others. The strategist named in these messages has declined to comment on this developing situation.

Current U-M regent Paul Brown is also running in this competitive three-way board race. The terms for both Brown and Acker expire on the first of January next year. Democratic delegates from across the state will soon choose nominees for the general election. This voting process is scheduled to occur at an upcoming convention on nineteen April. Acker currently holds the support of the political establishment within the state of Michigan. He has received formal endorsements from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and many major labor unions. Mallory McMorrow, who is running for the US Senate, also supports Acker’s current candidacy. Makled has secured endorsements from many campus graduate unions and the United Auto Workers organization. Makled stated that these messages would be truly reprehensible if they are indeed authentic.

The graphic nature of these messages appears to be quite extensive and very persistent. One particular message claimed the strategist enjoyed rough encounters and was interested in specific props. Another message shows Acker describing a very strange interaction with a U-M student’s parent. He referred to this individual using an offensive term meant to mock his Jewish identity. The post described that the father revealed his daughter had health issues including recurring infections. This post included a photograph of the student along with her various close friends. The text accompanying the photo suggested that the daughter was sexually active quite often. It is currently unclear if these messages will impact support from his political allies. Governor Whitmer has previously shared an emotional story about being sexually assaulted during college. Mallory McMorrow also filed a harassment complaint against a state representative during recent years.

McMorrow released a short statement noting that these messages are disgusting if they are true. Her spokesperson did not clarify whether these claims would change her endorsement of Acker. Governor Whitmer has not responded to multiple requests for comment on this serious emerging story. The University of Michigan has also remained silent regarding the controversy surrounding its own regent. The Michigan Education Association, a powerful union supporting Acker, provided no immediate public comment. These allegations arrive shortly after Makled faced criticism for his own past social media. He previously retweeted a message lamenting the death of the former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Another retweet from Candace Owens referred to Israelis as demons over attacks on Christians. These social media posts caused Makled to lose an endorsement from a major union. He stated that the Slack messages are disappointing following his own recent public controversies. Delegates are expected to cast their final votes throughout the evening on this Sunday.

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