Former CU President Details Pressure To Fire Professor
Ward Churchill Trial Ends First Week
POSTED: 5:53 pm MDT March 13, 2009
UPDATED: 9:50 pm MDT March 13, 2009
DENVER -- In a videotaped deposition, former CU President Elizabeth Hoffman said former Gov. Bill Owens called her demanding that Ward Churchill be fired. Jurors heard more than two hours of testimony from Hoffman who was deposed late last month. Hoffman said when the controversy began, she was adamant that Churchill should not be fired because of his controversial remarks about 9-11. According to Hoffman, Owens called her with an angry message."He said fire Ward Churchill tomorrow, and I said you know I can't do that Governor. He said I will unleash my own plan." Earlier this week, Owens said he doesn't remember that kind of conversation. It's expected that Churchill will take the stand next week.
Churchill was eventually fired on grounds of academic fraud, but he maintains the University caved into pressure from parents who threatened to pull their kids and politicians who were unhappy.She said Congressman Bob Beauprez call her. "He was very upset. He wanted to know if it was possible to fire Ward Churchill," she said.It's expected that Churchill will take the stand next week.
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