George Cotton, the former Florida A&M University vice president of university advancement, and executive director of the FAMU Foundation has filed suit against the University, the FAMU Board of Trustees, and the FAMU Foundation. Mr. Cottons' suit was filed on April 16, 2019 in Gadsden County, FL. Cotton’s attorneys later filed a motion to have the cased moved to Leon County.
Cotton stepped down from his position on December 29, 2017, nearly one month after he filed a stinging formal retaliation complaint against FAMU President Larry Robinson and three members of the board of trustees charging them with conspiring to get him fired.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, “Cotton alleged Robinson and (Trustee Thomas) Dortch defamed and slandered him in a conversation picked up on an open mic following the Nov. 29 meeting of the trustees Direct Service Organization committee meeting.”
During the alleged hot mic incident, broadcast live over WANM Radio, Trustee Dortch was said to have described Cotton to Robinson as "all flair and talk" and that he doesn't produce. Robinson then allegedly spoke of his plans to terminate Cotton once he became permanent president.
Cottons complaint also alleges BOT chairman Kelvin Lawson, Trustees Robert Woody and Trustee Dortch conspired to get him fired because he had refused their requests to help friends or associates of the three men get contracts or jobs with the university. It also states that the three asked him to remain silent about mismanagement and other abuse related to “ticket gate” shenanigans; costly and wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars that resulted from the retention of an employee with risky financial behavior.
The lawsuit further maintains that in March/April 2016, that Cotton, along with the University Attorney met with Robinson to discuss the financial risk associated with retaining an employee working in the FAMU President’s Office, whom Cotton had fired from the FAMU Foundation after it was discovered that the employee was involved in the theft of University football game tickets.
Cotton who currently serves as the senior vice president of development for the Charles H. Wright African American History Museum in Detroit is seeking reinstatement to his former position or a comparable position at the same pay and benefits, lost wages, punitive damages, and attorney fees. Cotton is seeking a jury trial.
Former head football coach Earl Holmes and former head mens basketball coach Clemon Johnson are also suing the University. Their cases are expected to go to trail this fall.