Right-Wing Supreme Court's Latest Outrage: Handcuffing Whistleblowers

**40sondacurb** · 06-11-2006, 04:34 PM

http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=14263

"In a 5 to 4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that government whistle-blowers are not protected by free speech rights from retaliatory action at work if they expose wrongdoing, according to Reuters. The ruling overturns a U.S. appeals court decision that said whistle-blowers who used free speech to discuss public issues were protected by the First Amendment.

The decision was ruled against a government worker in California who claimed that he was demoted and denied further promotions and requests to transfer to other departments after he proved that a county sheriff deputy lied when writing up a search warrant. The Supreme Court stated that government employees don’t have First Amendment rights of free speech when they are on the job.

The outcome case will likely have a lasting effect on other potential whistle-blowers that may opt to keep quiet instead of risking their own careers. Officials from the ACLU argue that the ruling will promote government secrecy and discourage internal whistle-blowing."

I love the way this is going. Now not only is spying on regular people legal, but it's illegal to call out those at the top on any dirt. Is anyone else starting to feel like cattle?

~~drbillchristian~~ · 06-11-2006, 06:09 PM

It's either the ballot or the bullet. They've already proven their ability to fraudulantly "win" elections, so guess what's left ?

bry623 · 06-12-2006, 07:01 AM

What proof?

06-11-2006, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
40sondacurb Don't be a menace Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 6,285 OS: Vista sp2	Right-Wing Supreme Court's Latest Outrage: Handcuffing Whistleblowers http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=14263 "In a 5 to 4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that government whistle-blowers are not protected by free speech rights from retaliatory action at work if they expose wrongdoing, according to Reuters. The ruling overturns a U.S. appeals court decision that said whistle-blowers who used free speech to discuss public issues were protected by the First Amendment. The decision was ruled against a government worker in California who claimed that he was demoted and denied further promotions and requests to transfer to other departments after he proved that a county sheriff deputy lied when writing up a search warrant. The Supreme Court stated that government employees don’t have First Amendment rights of free speech when they are on the job. The outcome case will likely have a lasting effect on other potential whistle-blowers that may opt to keep quiet instead of risking their own careers. Officials from the ACLU argue that the ruling will promote government secrecy and discourage internal whistle-blowing." I love the way this is going. Now not only is spying on regular people legal, but it's illegal to call out those at the top on any dirt. Is anyone else starting to feel like cattle? __________________ Donate to keep the forum running

06-11-2006, 06:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
~~drbillchristian~~ Register user Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 177 OS: WinXP (Pro & Home) & Ubuntu	Once... It's either the ballot or the bullet. They've already proven their ability to fraudulantly "win" elections, so guess what's left ?

06-12-2006, 07:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 11,692 OS: winxp pro sp2	What proof? __________________ "If you aren't a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart. If you aren't a conservative when you are 50, you have no brain"