Tennessee’s governor, attorney general and comptroller signed a document authorizing the settlement payment.
In a Dec. 30 email to the university community, Austin Peay President Mike Licari said the school did not follow the required tenure termination process. The communication was another requirement under the settlement.
Licari added, “I deeply regret and apologize for the impact this has had on Professor Michael and on our campus community. I am committed to ensuring that due process and fairness are upheld in all future actions.”
Two days after Kirk’s killing, Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee circulated a screenshot indicating Michael on Sept. 10 had posted the headline of a 2023 news article reading, “Charlie Kirk Says Gun Deaths ‘Unfortunately’ Worth it to Keep 2nd Amendment.” Blackburn, who is also a candidate for governor, included a photograph and biography of Michael. She wrote, “What do you say, Austin Peay State University?” and tagged the university’s account.
Blackburn’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the settlement.
David L. King, Michael’s attorney, said the professor said “nothing that was threatening or otherwise offensive.” King decried the pressure applied by “outside forces” and said the ordeal “caused a great deal of harm” to Michael and his daughter.
