Group claims $8.2 million withheld from ND over Obama flap

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By SBT 24/7 News

Story Created: Apr 29, 2009 at 1:16 AM EST

Story Updated: Apr 29, 2009 at 10:40 AM EST

SOUTH BEND (AP) — A group pushing for the ouster of the University of Notre Dame president because of the school's commencement invitation to President Barack Obama claims it has received pledges from 900 alumni and donors to withhold $8.2 million in future donations from the school.

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David DiFranco of Dearborn, Mich., one of the founders of the group, which started the Web site, www.replacejenkins.com, said the response is a sign of how upset some alumni are at the Rev. John Jenkins. DiFranco said the $8.2 million figure includes estate bequests to the university that have been removed from donors' wills.

University spokesman Dennis Brown said there was no way to know whether that figure was accurate.

"We knew that people would oppose the invitation and people would support it and people are going to voice their position in a variety of ways," he said. "We're not going to comment on every single one of those tactics."

Dozens of bishops have criticized the Obama invitation because of his support for abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research.

Jenkins is in the fourth year of a five-year term. The school has a history of presidents serving long tenures. Jenkins' predecessor, the Rev. Edward Malloy, served 18 years as president. Before him, the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh served 35 years.

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