The House Judiciary committee is likely to send a criminal referral to the Justice Department of George Mason President Gregory Washington, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The rejection comes after a tumultuous summer at the University of Virginia during which its president, James E. Ryan, resigned amid DOJ pressure over DEI investigations.
Peñalver is currently president of fellow Jesuit school Seattle University. He will begin in July and will replace John J. DeGioia, who stepped down last year.
Organizers had weighed whether to cancel the race, which starts at the Pentagon, amid the government shutdown but ultimately decided to continue the event.