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Iowa Official Fired After Sending Tupac Email To 4,000 Employees

Iowa Official Fired After Sending Tupac Email To 4,000 Employees

The Tupac-stan sent hundreds of emails containing quotes and lyrics across two years

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A man was forced to resign just days after sending out an office-wide email which included references to Tupac Shakur.

Sixty-six-year-old Jerry Foxhoven is big into the late rapper - and when I say 'big into', I mean sending 350 pages of Tupac-related emails to the office's 4,300 employees in two years.

Foxhoven was head of Iowa's department of human service until 17 June when he suddenly resigned, following a request by Iowa governor Kim Reynolds.

Jerry Foxhoven was Director of Iowa Department of Human Services until last month.
iowa.gov

The resignation came just days after he sent out an email to all staff urging them to listen to Tupac over the weekend to mark the rapper's birthday, the Associated Press reports.

Foxhoven told NPR: "I'm a 66-year-old white guy from the Midwest who likes rap music, who likes Tupac." You sure are, Jerry.

In fact, 'like' might even be a bit of understatement, because Foxhaven didn't just send emails about Tupac - he also implemented Tupac Fridays, where the rapper's music was played during shift; he made sure to mark important dates, such as Tupac's birthday and the anniversary of his death; and, most adorably of all, he even brought in Tupac-themed cookies on his own birthday.

Never mind making him resign, this fella needs a promotion immediately.

Speaking to NPR, Foxhoven said he was told to resign 'without warning' and didn't even have a face-to-face meeting with Reynolds.

He says a chief of staff took his work phone and ID and told him he couldn't return to the office but failed to give him a reason why.

Foxhoven says that he knew at least one member of staff didn't appreciate his quotations, after one employee mentioned a 'disgruntled employee, who then reported his Tupac references to state legislators', prompting speculation that this may be why he was asked to resign.

Jerry Foxhoven is a huge fan of late rapper Tupac Shakur.
PA

But Foxhoven hopes that isn't the case, as he told the news outlet: "I always try to assume the best of everybody, and I can't imagine that [the governor] would base her decision on the Tupac incident. If this is the reason, I'm really disappointed."

You and me both, Jer.

According to the Associated Press, the governor's office would neither confirm nor deny whether his Tupac fanhood played a part in him being dismissed.

A spokesperson told Iowa Public Radio that Reynolds wanted to 'go in a new direction' but refused to provide specifics.

Thankfully, Foxhoven is able to keep his head up (sorry), as he promised NPR: "I will be listening to some Tupac on my birthday. That's totally true."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Music, US News, politics