Stanford professor leading recall campaign targeted with rape threat

A substance found Wednesday in a package sent to the Stanford University professor responsible for leading the recall campaign against Judge Aaron Persky has been determined to be an “inert powder that poses no health concern,” university officials said.

In addition to the white powder, the package sent to Stanford Law School professor Michele Dauber also allegedly contained a threat of rape.

The suspicious package prompted the shutdown of two rooms at the Law School’s Neukom Building. The partial closing of the building, however, did not stop operations and activities at the school, according to the university.

After Santa Clara County hazardous materials officials tested the white substance, they confirmed it did not pose a threat.

University Provost Persis Drell said in a statement:

“Threats intended to silence or intimidate members of our community are absolutely unacceptable at Stanford.”

Dauber said this is not the first time that she has received a rape threat focused around her role in the recall campaign for the Santa Clara County judge who drew controversy for sentencing former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to just six months in county jail in 2016 for the on-campus sexual assault of an unconscious woman.

Dauber said in her statement:

“Judge Persky’s campaign continues to use hate-filled language and continues to actively defend Brock Turner and attack Emily Doe and me personally. … The verbal attacks have continued to escalate.”

The decision on whether to recall Persky will go in front of voters on June 5 after the campaign led by Dauber collected more than 94,000 signatures to qualify it for the ballot.