Jay Rosenstein, journalist and professor emeritus in Media sued Turning Point USA, a conservative organization founded by right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, for defamation in July. Last month, the parties reached an undisclosed resolution.
In 2018, Rosenstein, a long-time opponent of using representations of Native Americans as mascots, was investigating continued appearances of an unofficial Chief Illiniwek at basketball games. He filmed Ivan Dozier, a former “Unofficial Chief Illiniwek,” in a restroom at the State Farm Center during a game.
Security promptly escorted Rosenstein out after Dozier’s father noticed. He was arrested by UIPD for filming in a restroom — which is illegal in Illinois.
Dozier told the University of Illinois Police Department that Rosenstein filmed him at a urinal, and repeated the account on social media. UIPD later released Rosenstein, and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s office did not charge him with a crime.
TPUSA posted a photo of Rosenstein to Professor Watchlist, a website that aims to “expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.” The post said, “Rosenstein was arrested on January 22, 2018 for illegally filming a student who was using the urinal.”
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During a 2021 deposition, Dozier admitted he was wearing clothes and washing his hands when the video was recorded. Because Dozier was not a student and not using the urinal, Rosenstein filed a defamation lawsuit against TPUSA for his inclusion on the Professor Watchlist.
Rosenstein alleged two counts in the complaint: defamation and false light invasion of privacy.
Though Dozier eventually confirmed Rosenstein’s account, Rosenstein claims the situation irreparably damaged his career.
“Since TPUSA published its Defamatory Statement, Rosenstein has applied for faculty positions but not received an interview, despite being internationally renowned as a filmmaker, journalist, and teacher,” wrote attorney Mark Lammers in a complaint filed on July 22, 2024.
On March 26, Rosenstein’s attorneys filed a motion withdrawing the complaint with prejudice. One day later, Jennifer Choe-Groves, a U.S. District Court judge, dismissed the case. Rosenstein said the parties reached an agreement but did not provide further details.
“We have agreed on a resolution, and I am very happy with the result,” Rosenstein wrote in an email to The Daily Illini. “That is all I can say about it.”
The University’s TPUSA chapter did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Rosenstein called the spread of misinformation sickening and frightening. He added that he will not be pursuing any further legal action, but that “if something were to come up, I won’t back down.”
