Pro-Gun Professor Claims University Denied Him Free Speech

However, unable on their own to demote a tenured professor, Deming's opponents turned to some of the university's top financial donors, according to FIRE, persuading them to threaten a funding cutoff if Deming was not punished. One such threat in November 2003, from a donor who had never met Deming, paved the way for the punitive actions to be taken, FIRE claims.