NEW YORK (AP) — The trustees of the City University of New York say their decision to block an honorary degree for playwright Tony Kushner was not a reflection on his accomplishments.
The statement Thursday fell short of an apology, which the playwright demanded during an interview with The New York Times a day earlier.
The trustees voted Monday to block Kushner's nomination after one of its members, Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, claimed the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright held anti-Israel views.
The "Angels in America" dramatist says he's a strong supporter of Israel and that Wiesenfeld had distorted his views.
Wiesenfeld tells the Times he expected to be the sole vote against the nomination and was surprised when other trustees went along with him. He says he thought he was just voicing his dissent for the record.
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