Man claims he was fired for writing LTTE suggesting impeachment

[proud2BlibKansan]

Corrections vendor says director got him fired
The Associated Press

Corrections vendor says director got him fired

COLUMBIA | An employee with a company that does business with the Missouri Department of Corrections has filed a lawsuit claiming director Larry Crawford had him fired after he wrote a letter criticizing President Bush.

Tim Kniest filed the suit in federal court in Jefferson City, saying his First Amendment rights have been violated.

“Public policy demands that employers not be able to take adverse employment actions against an employee for the personal expression of a political view,” says the suit, which also named as a defendant Dana Thompson, the former chairman of the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole.

Kniest, who retired as a Department of Corrections spokesman in 2004, began work Nov. 7, 2005, with G4S Justice Services Inc., a company that had a contract with the state to administer electronic monitoring devices for people on probation or parole.

The suit said G4S hired Kniest because of his Missouri experience and to work specifically on the state contract. A provision in the contract allowed the department to choose which G4S employees could work on the project.

In early December 2005, newspapers in Jefferson City and St. Louis published a letter from Kniest in which he said President Bush should be impeached because his decision to monitor Americans’ phone calls violated the U.S. Constitution and criminal law.

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/396117.html#recent_comm

[Hydra]

1. What first amendment?

open your mouth as your own peril, these days.

[SoCalDem]

2. He probably should check the employment papers he signed when he was hired

Lots of places of employment forbid "things that cast a bad image" on the employer or "are controversial"..

It stinks, but if his job is a "government" job ( even if local), he may not be allowed to voice opinions..

[scarletwoman]

5. He was working for a private contractor. (nt)

[scarletwoman]

3. I hope he wins his suit. Thanks for posting this. Glad this man is fighting back.

I went to the link and read the whole piece, that Crawford guy sounds like a real asshole.

Loved the little comment at the end of the article: "Is it fascism yet?" Heh.

rec'd,
sw

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. LOL That was my comment!

Glad you approved. :)

[scarletwoman]

9. I suspected that it was...

I wanted to leave it open for you to claim it or not, just in case you had any repercussions of your own to be concerned about. (It's the paranoid in me. :P )

sw

[Pastiche423]

10. Thank you for the chuckle!

K&R

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. You are most welcome!

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. The stupid found this article and are chiming in now:

Why would we need Mr. Kniest smart remark about our PRESIDENT i don't belive this is about color as the writer wrote before me. There was a time it was illegal to talk about our Chief Commander of the USA.We have a security problem in this country if your an AMERICAN Please stick together no matter what party is in office.
:wow:

This is the comment posted following mine ("Is it fascism yet?") LOL I just realized this brainiac must think fascism is a color! Like fuscia! OMG!!

:rofl:

[scarletwoman]

16. I would guess that the writer is confusing "fascism" with "racism" -- as in being "about color".

Just a thought...

[madokie]

4. a while back I wrote a ltte and made the mistake and used the words impeachment and fundies

and the next day when we were gone someone hit our mailbox with I suspect their fist because they left some blood on it from where it looked like it cut them. I just straightened it out and kept right on using it, in fact its my badge now

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Good for you!

You should have taken a picture of your messed up mailbox and posted it here!

[madokie]

12. good idea but I didn't think of that

[Mountainman]

6. My LTTE calling for the impeachment of both Bush and Cheney was printed today.

I think I am safe though the thought of being harassed has entered my mind.

[MagickMuffin]

13. Hey Girl, Just gave your comment another rating 5 STARS

:loveya:

It really is unbelievable how expressing your opinion can do soooo much damage.

How much longer will this kind of activity continue?

I suppose it will be with us for a very long long time. It just isn't as subtle as it used to be. Since 2000, it has been more aggressive and in your face attitude.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Why thank you MM!

How very sweet of you :hug:

As for your question, I honestly don't know the answer. Don't think I want to know either.

[MindPilot]

17. I once wrote an LTTE criticizing the use of undercover city police officers

to look for smokers in bars. An anti-smoking zealot left me a death threat on my answering machine.