A technical football assistant at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga lost his job after defaming Stacey Abrams and the state of Georgia in a Twitter post that perpetuated baseless allegations of electoral fraud, university officials said on Thursday.
The coach, Chris Malone, was in his second season as an assistant and offensive lineman for the Mocs, according to a biography taken from the university’s athletics website.
Malone made disparaging comments about Abrams, a former governor candidate and former Democratic leader in Georgia, on Tuesday night after the second round of the US Senate election in Georgia – disputes won by Democrats that will give them control of the Senate.
“Congratulations to the state of GA and Fat Albert @staceyabrams because you really showed the United States the real works of cheating in an election again !!!” Mr. Malone wrote. “Enjoy the Big Girl buffet! You deserved it !!! I hope the money is good, you are not a governor yet! “
Subsequently, Mr. Malone deleted the post, but not before other people took pictures of it and shared it widely on social media.
“That tweet was hateful, painful and fake,” said Steven R. Angle, the university’s dean, in a video posted on Thursday by the university on YouTube. “Coach Malone is no longer part of this university.”
Mr. Angle said that Mr. Malone has failed to meet the expectations of the faculty and university team to lead in order to maintain a respectful and tolerant campus environment.
“The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga does not tolerate and unequivocally condemn discrimination and hatred in all forms,” said Angle.
Efforts to contact Mr. Malone were not immediately successful. Your Twitter account has been disabled and no phone numbers have been listed for your Chattanooga address.
Ms. Abrams was credited with helping President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. take the state in November and in the victories of the two Democratic candidates for the Senate this week. She fought against efforts to suppress black voter participation across the country.
UT-Chattanooga has about 12,000 students. The Mocs play at the Southern Conference, which postponed competition in autumn sports, including football, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Rusty Wright, the university’s top football coach, said in a statement that a member of his team had crossed the line with a post on social media.
“What was posted on social media by a member of my team is unacceptable and is not part of what I stand for or what Chattanooga Football stands for,” said Wright.