McCaskill retains a lawyer

It was a matter of time until Dr. Angela McCaskill retained a lawyer in the eventuality if she does gets fired as Chief Diversity Officer at Gallaudet University for signing a petition to put a referendum on a ballot regarding same sex marriage in Maryland. Her lawyer will explore legal options to get her re-instated.

The lawyer for Angela McCaskill says she is "not anti-gay." Attorney J. Wyndal Gordon says McCaskill will speak in greater detail about her actions at a news conference Tuesday in Annapolis, Md.

Gallaudet is the nation's leading university for the deaf and hard of hearing. McCaskill, who lives in Maryland, is the chief diversity officer at the school. She was placed on leave this week. Gordon says he is exploring legal options to get her reinstated.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and other gay marriage supporters have criticized the move, saying McCaskill should not be punished for exercising her First Amendment rights.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/12/3047640/gallaudet-official-hires-lawyer.html#storylink=cpy

The key thing that's important to see is that even gay marriage supporters have criticized Gallaudet University for punishing McCaskill by placing her on administrative leave. There are actually people out there who recognize the importance of exercising one's First Amendment. And the right from fear for reprisals for exercising that First Amendment.

McCaskill's Fired!

He finally did it! Fired Dr. Angela McCaskill as Chief Diversity Officer of Gallaudet University after working for 23 years at the university. And her lawyers have just informed Gallaudet University that they intend to sue the university in a civil and criminal lawsuit for voter intimidation and mental harm seeking $200 million dollars in damages, and charges of criminal violation against the president of Gallaudet University and several administrators involved in the decision to fire her by using the D.C Code of illegally interfering her right to sign a referendum. Her lawyers say "It's about principle, not about money. People should not fear retaliation at place of employment for signing a petition, a referendum, or even a recall petition. This was a witch hunt and Gallaudet University followed that path."

Of course, McCaskill hasn't been fired. Never happened. Yet. Just a scenario I painted.

Now, should that scenario happen  then doing so would probably become a very expensive proposition for the university.  An expensive lawsuit could hurt their bottom line, perhaps their future as a college and a very possible reality that president Hurwitz could go to jail for firing McCaskill but that's a fuzzy line to that possibility. There is a Washington D.C. law that prevents an employer from firing an employee for signing a petition, for example, that an employer doesn't like as way to bully employees into submission.

Under the D.C. Code, it is a criminal violation for “[a]ny person who … by threats or intimidation, interferes with, or attempts to interfere with, the right of any qualified registered elector to sign or not to sign any initiative, referendum, or recall petition.” The sentence for violating the provision can be up to a $10,000 fine and a year in prison.
…Because a Maryland law — and not a D.C. law — is at issue in the referendum, however, the D.C. Code’s criminal provision is not directly implicated. But, it could indirectly apply to McCaskill’s suspension through a civil lawsuit in which she seeks money or reinstatement.

Remember, folks. McCaskill signed a petition to allow a referendum for Maryland residents an alternative option to vote against the state's Civil Marriage Protection Act . She is absolutely entitled to sign a petition for a referendum. She didn't write an op-ed piece to the editor demanding that gay couples should not be allowed to marry. She did not carry signs on street corners demanding that natural marriage ought to be the rule of law. And so on. She exercised her civil rights to sign for a referendum. But, boy, somebody sure had plenty of time on their hands and a serious axe to grind in the effort to find McCaskill's name through 110,000 other names and addresses which was probably based on a tip received and decided to go hunting.

I'm sure president Hurwitz and Gallaudet University's administrators are taking their time with their lawyers if firing her would be such a smart move or not. Would it be worth it?  A safe bet?

Family Research Council has already set up a petition drive to help re-instate Dr. Angela McCaskill. So far there has been 16,654 responses on joining the petition drive. Will it work?

Meh. We'll see. More drama down the road I suppose.