Authored By chloe.morrison

The attorney for fired WUTC reporter Jacqui Helbert has amended a lawsuit against UTC to include Chancellor Steven Angle.

“We added the chancellor because the newly discovered emails (with Mr. Heddleston) clearly show an intent to censor WUTC and retaliate against Jacqui for her story,” attorney Justin S. Gilbert said via text Wednesday.

George Heddleston, senior associate vice chancellor of marketing and communication for UTC, made the call to fire her and said Helbert acted unethically by not explicitly identifying herself as a reporter.

UTC doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

But Angle did address the situation in an email to UTC last week:

Recently, there has been considerable discussion about our NPR radio station, WUTC-FM, and its editorial independence. We are working with WUTC to review and update as necessary its set of editorial standards and to formalize a statement on its editorial independence. Both are important as we reinforce our ongoing commitment for the radio station to freely conduct its business and programming.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press and The Associated Press obtained the emails via open records, and they show that Angle was worried the university would lose funding in retribution for a radio story Helbert recorded that involved two state lawmakers, Sen. Mike Bell and Rep. Kevin Brooks.

Helbert reported about a high school gay-straight alliance that recently visited lawmakers in Nashville to discuss proposed “bathroom bill” legislation.

Helbert went with the students to meet with Bell and Brooks, and said it was obvious why she was there because she went in wearing press credentials and full radio gear.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press also reported that the amended lawsuit doesn’t include Chuck Cantrell, associate vice chancellor for communication and marketing, who was originally named individually in the lawsuit.