INDIANA — Federal and state lawmakers are demanding that Indiana University terminate an adjunct law professor after she delivered a “congratudolences” cake to the former Senate office of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham following his recent death.
Elizabeth Booker Houston, a comedian, content creator, and adjunct professor at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, posted an Instagram video on July 14 showing her and another influencer setting a custom cake among floral tributes outside Graham’s former office. The cake featured a picture of the South Carolina Republican, a cross of blue frosted roses, and the word “congratudolences!”—a mashup of congratulations and condolences.
Graham died on July 11 at age 71 from an aortic tear. His sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was sworn in shortly after to serve the remainder of his term.
The video, which included sharp critiques of Graham’s political legacy, sparked intense conservative backlash after Houston posted directly to Graham Nordone on X (formerly Twitter): “Your brother is burning in hell, and now, you’re working for the devil!”
Lawmakers Demand Termination and Funding Cuts
U.S. Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.) amplified the incident on social media after sharing screenshots of Houston’s post alongside her LinkedIn profile. Timmons tagged George Washington University—where Houston serves as a visiting lecturer—calling for “appropriate disciplinary action” and suggesting mental health counseling as part of her severance.
In Indiana, state leaders quickly weighed in:
- Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith called for Indiana University to lose all state funding if Houston is not terminated, citing the incident as an example of why public education is failing and losing public respect.
- U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, along with U.S. Reps. Marlin Stutzman and Erin Houchin, jointly called on IU to fire Houston immediately.
Neither Indiana University nor George Washington University responded to requests for comment regarding her employment status.
Free Speech Protections and Recent Precedents
Because Indiana University is a public institution, Houston is protected by the First Amendment. Under established Supreme Court precedent (Pickering v. Board of Education, 1968), public employees retain free speech rights when speaking as private citizens on matters of public concern. By contrast, George Washington University, as a private institution, holds broader latitude to discipline faculty for off-campus speech.
The call for Houston’s firing follows a wave of higher-education speech controversies:
- Following the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, several public employees and teachers were fired nationwide after making critical or flippant comments online. Multiple public institutions subsequently paid significant settlements to resolve First Amendment lawsuits, including Ball State University, which spent over $725,000 on lawyers and a settlement after firing a health director.
- IU itself recently drew attention over its compliance with Indiana legislation regulating classroom discussions, choosing not to renew a social work professor’s contract following a complaint regarding course materials.
Houston Unfazed by Backlash
Speaking on the controversy, Houston expressed little concern over the calls for her removal.
“They’re snowflakes,” Houston told reporters. “They are incredibly hypocritical because they’ve been crying about censorship and free speech for so long, but they couldn’t handle a piece of cake.”
Houston emphasized that her academic positions represent only part of her career, adding that high-profile conservative pushback often increases her digital audience and brand visibility. She noted that universities were aware of her active, outspoken social media presence before hiring her.
For Houston, maintaining an outspoken online presence remains essential despite the risks: “That kind of isolation is really what the right counts on… It’s important for people like myself to speak out, when we have the ability to do so, because of those individuals who are silenced.”
To see more of Elizabeth Booker Houston discussing public policy and political commentary outside of her comedy, watch How Housing Became SO Unaffordable ft. Elizabeth Booker Houston. This video is relevant because it highlights Houston’s broader commentary style and background as a legal and public health professional addressing major social issues.
