Tennessee pays ‘communications professional’ for aid in suit
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee is paying a former adviser to Gov. Bill Haslam to assist in “communications strategies” with the lawyers representing the school in a Title IX lawsuit that has since been settled.
According to a letter obtained through a public records request, Tennessee agreed to hire a “communications professional” who would work from March 2016 through February 2017 and “the maximum liability of the University shall be $240,000.”
Although the letter didn’t identify the communications professional, Tom Ingram of Ingram Group confirmed he was the one hired. Ingram is a former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and ran campaigns for Haslam, Alexander and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel first reported the agreement.
Tennessee reached a $2.48 million settlement in July with eight unidentified women who sued the school.
