The John Jay economics professor who caused a firestorm with a tweet about dead cops says he’s absolutely not in hiding and he’s not about to disappear.
A defiant Michael Isaacson doubled down Monday on his defense of the offensive tweet in texts to the Daily News
“I will continue to talk to press and refuse to remain silent against the coordinated campaign against me,” he told The News.
“I’m not in hiding. I went to (Washington) D.C. for the weekend to attend a march and hang with friends.”
On Aug. 23, Isaacson posted to Twitter, “Some of y’all might think it sucks being an anti-fascist teaching at John Jay College but I think it’s a privilege to teach future dead cops.”
Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch and the heads of two other police unions called for his termination on Friday from the city- and state-funded college. John Jay officials placed him on administrative leave.
Mayor de Blasio and the college’s president Karol Mason sharply criticized the tweet.
In an interview with radio show host Dom Giordano on WPHT in Philadelphia Monday morning, Isaacson said he was placed on leave for security reasons.
“I was receiving a barrage of death threats,” he said. “When I got to class Friday I was met by the director of public safety and deputy director, who said they were posting plainclothes officers outside my classroom and one next to it because of the threats the university had been receiving.”
Isaacson said he delayed the class to lead the students in active shooter training.
He said the tweet only emerged because a right-wing website “rooted” through his social media postings, looking for anything objectionable.
“Lynch and de Blasio conspired against me,” he told Giordano.
“De Blasio is looking to get re-elected and will say anything to pander to his base. This is a coordinated campaign. These are people that are actively researching those people like me, who do not toe the line.”
Isaacson’s exchange with Giordano got somewhat testy earlier in the interview.
“How do you write about dead cops?” Giordano asked.
Isaacson laughed and said, “How do cops kill people?”
“I am from a family of cops,” Giordano replied. “So I guess I should have the right to punch to you in the face.”
Isaacson mentioned the case of Philadelphia police officer Ian Hans Lichterman, who was photographed with a tattoo of the word “Fatherland” on his right forearm, with an eagle that resembles a Nazi symbol.
Lichterman was investigated but cleared of any violation of department policy in January.
“There’s no question that it is Nazi tattoo,” Isaacson said.
Giordano denied it was a Nazi tattoo, and added regarding John Jay, “I’m amazed you got out of there with your life.”