BREAKING NEWS: Former C-T Executive Editor Susan Ihne files $15 million wrongful termination lawsuit against Gannett Co.

The Mountain Xpress has it. Read the lawsuit here.

Here's a snippet:

In a $15 million wrongful termination lawsuit filed Wednesday against theAsheville Citizen-Times, former Executive Editor Susan Ihne claims the newspaper’s publisher bullied and harassed her.

Publisher Randy Hammer couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

...

In her lawsuit, filed in Buncombe County Superior Court, Ihne charges that Hammer began harassing and bullying her six weeks after he joined the newspaper in October 2007. The lawsuit states “that this harassment and bullying consisted of yelling and raising his voice at the Plaintiff, belittling and degrading her on the job, and misusing his power in a calculated effort to destroy her self-confidence and get her to resign from her job.”

In one instance, Ihne claims, Hammer yelled at her in a one-on-one meeting “in an attempt to frighten and terrify her.” Other times, Hammer would refer to her with “pejorative names, such as ‘nasty person’,” according to the lawsuit.

In her lawsuit, Ihne also claims that Hammer threatened her job and ordered her not to call corporate headquarters concerning him, and ordered her not to forward his e-mails without his permission. Ihne charges that, in one instance, Hammer also undermined her leadership by telling a project team they’d done a good job, then telling her she’d done “a lousy job” as team leader. Hammer “created a hostile work environment by his abusive conduct,” according to the lawsuit.

Comments

[Melissa]

Damn.

[Just Wonderin']

Do you think someone put a curse on the AC-T? Good Lord! You don't even have to HUNT for news about the place.
After reading the complaint, is it $15M per action, plus the assorted $10Ks?

[Lena]

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blub]

I heard from people in the OC meetings that Hammer went crazy on her. I'm surprised though. Hate to say it, but the man brought all of this on himself.

[Blub]

Ash...just read the XPress and the story on how the internet is changing the landscape of print journalism. As usual, the AC-T had no comment. So we are left to wonder, and we do. Two weeks ago, when 16 workers were let go, again there was nothing from Hammer or Big Boy. There are no columns from either one telling people the direction of the paper. IMO the AC-T is imploding, while inside the controller, ad director and publisher are saying "all is well, all is well." We know it's not. When your leaders say things like 'don't worry about it just do your job' that's not leadership, that's denial and chicken s***. So, I'm glad you got out of there when you did because it seems you are the only one reporting. Plus Jim at gannett.blog, which is mind blowing to read everyday. Maybe out of the ashes of the Hammer-Smith-Stenseth debacle something great will come out of it, but as a lover of newspapers and information it's not fun to watch.

[Buster]

According to the lawsuit, Ihne is seeking a total of $65 million in actual damages, and $50,000 in punitive damages, in five different actions.

[a concerned reader]

Good for Susan! It's about time someone stood up to Gannett. OC meetings were an excuse to dress down anyone that dared disagreed with Hammer.

I wonder what the community leaders think of Hammer's lack of communication on the layoffs, and the lawsuit. If this kind of implosion was happening at an area business would the CTimes investigate? How long can the trio survive? Hammer, Stenseth and Smith have created one of the most toxic business climates I have ever witnessed. They should call in the EPA to clean up the muck. Hundreds of good people and, I mean good talented people have left the Citizen-Times. Many like Jason went to work for other media companies. Isn't it odd that Mountain Express hasn't laid off employees. wnc magazine, WNC Women, VERVE, Home+Garden, Rapid River and New LIfe Journal all seem to be maintaining page count and advertising base when the CTimes keeps getting thinner and thinner. There isn't leadership at the CTimes. It resembles a dictatorship. Off with their heads! I prayer that there will be justice and Susan gets every penny.

[Frank Merenda]

I wonder if they are hiring? I would love to work there - it sounds wonderful! :)

But seriously, much respect to Ash, who has never said a bad thing about his experiences at the C-T. That takes a lot of discipline, and is the sign of a *real* reporter. My hat is off to you, sir!

[Taylorink]

My sources at HQ in McLean VA tell me that Randy Hammer has been seriously damaged by this lawsuit.

Hammer was never a "star" in the company--that's why he was sent to a small market like Asheville NC. The betting here is that he will not be with Gannett for long.

[Llama]

In the US it's extremely difficult for former employees to win these kinds of suits. Unless the paper settles out of court, she'll never see a dime.

And why should this community feel sorry for Ihne? She really wasn't that great an Executive Editor. The AC-T never investigated Bobby Medford, ignored most of Charles Taylor's misdeeds, and botched the coverage of Parkside.

Maybe Ihne was treated like crap. But so are most workers in Asheville - they are underpaid, overworked, and fired at the drop of a hat.

It's ironic that Ihne finds labor justice important now, considering she never encouraged much labor reporting during her tenure.

[Anonymous]

What goes around comes around Susan. You have bullied your own staff and treated them pretty badly too. We just didn't sue you. Karma's a bitch.

[lena]

As a former employee of Susan's I must say in her defense I NEVER felt bullied or treated badly. She speaks her mind and doesn't hold back but I never interpreted that to be bulling. She was always accommodating to me.

[Anon.]

I am also a former employee of her and she didn't personally treat me badly, but I saw her treat others plenty bad. She made bad journalistic desicions and was pushy and rude. She liked to belittle staff members in public and completely controlled her ME so they had no decision-making power. The best thing that happened to our paper was to let her go.
But me not liking her doesn't mean that I'm on Corporate's side. More power to her if she can make them see another bad apple.

[Melissa]

Ahem. For current and former CT'ers:

"Now would be a good time."

[Two steps ahead of you]

Blub:

IMO the AC-T is imploding, while inside the controller, ad director and publisher are saying "all is well, all is well." We know it's not. When your leaders say things like 'don't worry about it just do your job' that's not leadership, that's denial and chicken s***.

This is what is wrong with the ACT. Show the frickin publisher the door and while your at it, toss the Ad Director out to. They both allegedly know very little about advertising.

[Scrooge]

The postings about Hatchet Hammer on the Anti Gannett Blog are reminiscent of the Catholic Church. If a priest was suspected of child abuse they would relocate him to another parish. In Hammer's case, he was moved to Asheville. Firends of mine have always called it "pass the trash". I wonder where he will go next?

[Lena]

Melissa ... ROTFLMAO!!! I remember making those damn signs.

Get it Done Get it Done Get it Done Get it Done Get it Done

[Anon]

Wow, I guess it really is fitting that this guy who owns the newspaper is next door neighbors with Joe Damore. The similarities in how this guy is running the newspaper and how Joe Damore is running Mission hospital are uncanny! Someone definitely needs to do a deep dive into the Asheville community and those in positions of power and influence!