- The
UT Chattanooga football program has fired assistantcoach Chris Malone for his social media activity. - On Tuesday, Malone issued a since-deleted tweet in which he referred to
Stacey Abrams as "Fat Albert" and told her to "enjoy the buffet." - Mocs head coach Rusty Wright called Malone's conduct "unacceptable and not any part of ... what
Chattanooga Football stands for."
The UT Chattanooga football program has dismissed one of its assistant coaches following a disturbing post from his Twitter account.
Former Mocs coach Chris Malone - who was in his second year serving as Chattanooga's offensive line coach - issued a since-deleted tweet in which he referred to voting rights activist and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams as "Fat Albert" and "Big Girl." Malone also made claims questioning the legitimacy of this week's US Senate elections in Georgia, none of which are substantiated.
"Congratulations to the state GA and Fat Albert @staceyabrams because you have truly shown America the true works of cheating in an election, again!!!" Malone wrote. "Enjoy the buffet Big Girl! You earned it!!!"
"Hope the money was good, still not governor!" he added.
—Blackniss Everdeen ✊✊ (@Kevinctyler2) January 7, 2021
Two days after Malone published the tweet, UT Chattanooga athletics announced that he "is no longer a part of the program." Mocs head coach Rusty Wright called Malone's conduct "unacceptable and not any part of what I stand for or what Chattanooga Football stands for."
"The entire post was appalling," Chattanooga Director of Athletics Mark Wharton added.
—Chattanooga Football (@GoMocsFB) January 7, 2021
The university's chancellor, Steven Angle, condemned Malone's actions in a video shared Thursday morning, calling his tweet "hateful, hurtful, and untrue."
"Coach Malone is no longer a part of this university," Angle said. "University faculty and staff are expected to lead in a way that achieves and maintains a respectful and tolerant, civil campus environment. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga does not tolerate and unequivocally condemns discrimination and hatred in all forms."
—UTChattanooga (@UTChattanooga) January 7, 2021
Abrams was instrumental in leading Peach State voter registration efforts in the lead up to the 2020 general election. More recently, the US Senate runoffs between Kelly Loeffler and Rev. Raphael Warnock and David Perdue and Jon Ossoff. Democrats won both races and many credit Abrams' organizing efforts for aiding the Democratic Party in regaining control of the Senate as a direct result of Tuesday's outcomes.
- Read more:
- Ossoff and Warnock win Georgia runoffs, handing Democrats control of the US Senate
- WNBA players endorsed the opponent of Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler to help force a runoff for Georgia's Senate seat
- WNBA players' endorsement of Raphael Warnock pushed the Democratic candidate ahead in Georgia Senate race, research suggests
- LeBron James expressed interest in buying the WNBA's Atlanta Dream after players campaigned against team owner and former Georgia senator Kelly Loeffler