Cal Lutheran professor targeted by conservatives over purported support for Trump assassination

A prominent far-right social media account has targeted a California Lutheran University professor for a comment posted to Facebook, but school officials say the post is “fraudulent.”

Louise Kelly, an associate professor of exercise science, allegedly replied to a Fox News Facebook post about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump with “I hope next time they don’t miss and I really hope this isn’t the last attempt too.. I would love to do it myself if I wasn’t so far away.”

This prompted a post from Libs of TikTok, a far-right and anti-LGBTQ account run by Chaya Raichik.

Tagging both the university and the U.S. Secret Service, the account on Monday posted screenshots of the comment and Kelly’s faculty page on CLU’s website.

“Hi [Cal Lutheran] this one of your employees?” Libs of TikTok posted to X, formerly Twitter.

In a statement posted to Instagram, CLU called the comment allegedly made by Kelly “fraudulent,” adding that Kelly “has contacted the police regarding her legal options.”

“Needless to say, remarks like this are entirely inappropriate and intolerable,” the statement said.

CLU officials said they’re in contact with local law enforcement regarding “comments against Professor Kelly and the institution.”

As of Wednesday morning, Kelly’s profile no longer appeared in the school’s online faculty directory, but school officials tell KTLA she is still employed by the school.

School spokesperson Mark Berry said that it appears the screenshot in the Libs of TikTok post was doctored to include Kelly’s photo and name to make it appear as if she had written that comment when she had not.

In an effort to protect her privacy, the profile was taken down, Berry added.

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