Two faculty members at East Tennessee State University have just been put on leave over their comments celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
One of them reportedly wrote that Kirk ‘had it coming’.
Here’s more from WHJL:
East Tennessee State University has put two faculty members on administrative leave pending an investigation into social media comments they made in the wake of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s murder Wednesday.
“Both have been placed on administrative leave pending further review,” Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jess Vodden wrote in a late afternoon email, acknowledging complaints that had been filed regarding Herrmann and Brown’s comments. “Given that this is a personnel matter, we cannot comment further at this time.”
Acknowledgement of the suspensions of Andrew Herrmann and Russ Brown came hours after ETSU responded to a News Channel 11 query about Herrmann’s comments by saying commenting on a personal platform was protected speech. The statement said ETSU does not comment on personnel matters or potential disciplinary actions, which left open the possibility that disciplinary actions could be forthcoming.
News Channel 11 reached out after hearing that complaints had been lodged regarding Herrmann’s comments, one of which could be construed as implying that Kirk, who was shot to death at a university appearance, had it coming. One of Brown’s comments severely condemned the influence Kirk had had on American society.
The 11:43 a.m. response from Vodden added that “the university does not have policies in place limiting free expression on personal platforms.”
The statement did say that “ETSU universally condemns bigotry, the use of derogatory language or slurs, harassment or discrimination, and the promotion of violence against any individual or group.”
At 4:30 p.m., though, State Sen. Bobby Harshbarger (R-Kingsport) posted on his official campaign Facebook page that ETSU had placed “multiple faculty members on administrative leave following their reckless comments about Charlie Kirk, pending a full investigation.”
Harshbarger wrote that he spoke directly with ETSU President Brian Noland and other leadership, “and appreciate the swift action they have taken in placing multiple faculty members on administrative leave following their reckless comments about Charlie Kirk…”
Harshbarger wrote that “celebrating or excusing an assassination” is “vile and unacceptable,” and left no question on where he stands regarding those members’ future employment at ETSU.
“Faculty who engage in that kind of rhetoric have no place leading our classrooms or shaping the next generation,” Harshbarger wrote.
After many months of Democrats claiming Trump was an existential threat to democracy and Joe Biden demonizing MAGA as the same kind of threat, this is what you get. A killer willing to assassinate Charlie Kirk and then sycophants celebrating his murder. This is the Democrat party.