Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a statement addressing allegations involving a transgender volleyball player at San Jose State University (SJSU). The case, which has sparked national debate, centers on former SJSU volleyball player Brooke Slusser, who accused her former trans teammate, Blaire Fleming, of conspiring with an opposing player to target her during a match in October. The Department of Justice has pledged to enforce Title IX and protect female athletes from ‘bad actors’ who endanger their safety, emphasizing its commitment to ensuring fairness in women’s sports.
Fox News Digital first reported on the controversy in July, citing new allegations made public by Slusser. In a statement to the outlet, Dhillon called for the DOJ to ‘leverage every legal resource available to enforce Title IX and protect women’s basic right to compete in sports without fear of retribution from men.’ This sentiment has resonated with conservative lawmakers, including Senators Marsha Blackburn and Tommy Tuberville, who have criticized the handling of the case and called for a new investigation into the matter, stating that female athletes have been ‘put in harm’s way’ due to the situation.
The Mountain West Conference, which oversees the SJSU volleyball team, conducted an internal investigation into the allegations against Fleming. However, the probe concluded without finding ‘sufficient evidence,’ despite the fact that interviews with witnesses were initiated just three days after the initial report. The investigation was led by law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher (WFG), which was also involved in defending the conference against a lawsuit by Slusser, which included the same allegations against Fleming. One of the attorneys from WFG, Tim Heaphy, was previously involved in the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the January 6 Capitol attack, raising questions about the independence of the investigation.
Slusser has argued that the investigation was flawed, stating that she was told by a teammate who participated in the conference’s inquiry that Fleming had discussed an alleged plan before the match. ‘Based on what I was told, exactly what one of my teammates had seen go on that night — about talking about the scouting report and leaving the net open — was told to those lawyers. So, that should have been sufficient evidence [of the alleged plan by Fleming],’ Slusser said. However, Fox News Digital has been unable to independently verify that Slusser’s teammate actually corroborated the allegations during the investigation. The law firm has not faced any accusations of misconduct, raising further questions about the integrity of the process.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education has launched a federal Title IX investigation into the situation involving Fleming and the university’s handling of the controversy. The department has recently reached agreements with other universities regarding the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, including a settlement with the University of Pennsylvania and Wagner College. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has stated that the investigation into SJSU will continue, underscoring the growing scrutiny of how universities are managing these complex issues. The DOJ has also filed lawsuits against public officials in California and Maine for allowing male athletes to compete in girls’ sports without reaching an agreement with the Trump administration.
Despite the ongoing legal and political interest in the case, SJSU and the Mountain West Conference have refused to comment further, citing ongoing litigation and federal investigations. Slusser has continued to advocate for other female athletes, joining a lawsuit against the NCAA led by Riley Gaines, and has described her interactions with trans athletes, including Fleming, as increasingly hostile. As the situation evolves, the case remains a focal point in the broader debate over transgender inclusion in collegiate sports and the role of institutions in balancing legal obligations with the safety and rights of female athletes.