Editor Fired Over Cartoons

Illini editor fired over cartoon

(Chicago Tribune)The Daily Illini editor who decided to publish several cartoons that had generated controversy for their portrayals of the Prophet Muhammad has been fired, the newspaper's publisher announced Tuesday.

Acton Gorton, editor of the student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, failed to adequately discuss the publication of the cartoons before they appeared in print Feb. 9, a news release from the publisher, Illini Media Co., said Tuesday. Because of that, he was removed, the release said.

"The board is disappointed with this outcome and regrets that Gorton's actions necessitated his termination less than three months into his one-year term," the news release said.

Gorton said he is disappointed but not surprised by the firing.

"I really thought I would be able to get my job back after I explained my point of view," said Gorton, who added that he plans to file a lawsuit over the way his termination was handled.

A violation of the policy being cited didn't justify the "Stalinistic way I was erased from the Daily Illini," he said.

Opinions editor Chuck Prochaska, who was suspended with Gorton, has been invited to return to his post, according to the news release.