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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

1:20-cv-22942-Moore-Becerra

___________________________________

:

CHRISTINA MARIE MCLAUGHLIN, :

:

Plaintiff, :

:

v. :

:

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL :

UNIVERSITY, et. al. :

:

Defendants. :

____________________________________:

THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SECRETARY OF 

EDUCATION ELISABETH DEVOS’S MOTION TO DISMISS THE PLAINTIFF’S 

FIRST AMENDED COMPLAINT UNDER RULES 12(b)(1) AND 12(b)(6) FOR LACK 

OF SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION AND FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM

Pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6), the United States 

Department of Education and Elisabeth D. Devos, in her official capacity as Secretary of 

Education, (hereinafter, the “Federal Defendants”), respectfully move this Court to dismiss with 

prejudice all counts of Plaintiff’s first amended complaint [D.E. 10] directed towards the Federal 

Defendants: Count I (Violation of Plaintiff’s First Amendment Right of Freed of Speech and 

Political Expression); Count III (Violation of Plaintiff’s Fourteenth Amendment and Florida 

Constitutional Right to Equal Protection of the Law); Count IV (U.S. Department of Education’s 

Breach of Legal Obligation to Properly Enforce a Student FERPA Complaint); Count VII (Fraud); 

Count VIII (Civil Conspiracy); Count IX (Breach of Fiduciary Duty); and Count X (Negligence).

In support of their motion, the Federal Defendants attach to this motion a memorandum of points 

and authorities and relevant exhibits.

Case 1:20-cv-22942-KMM Document 44 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/01/2020 Page 1 of 4
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Respectfully submitted,

ARIANA FAJARDO ORSHAN

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY 

By: _/s/ John S. Leinicke

JOHN S. LEINICKE, ESQ.

Assistant United States Attorney

Court I.D./Bar No. 64927

Email: John.Leinicke@usdoj.gov

99 N.E. 4th Street, 3rd Floor

Miami, Florida 33132

Tel.: 305.961.3212 

Counsel for Defendants U.S. Dept. of 

Education and Elisabeth D. Devos, in her 

official capacity as Secretary of Education.

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on December 01, 2020, I electronically filed the foregoing document with the 

Clerk of the Court using CM/ECF. I also certify that the foregoing document is being served this 

day on all counsel of record parties identified on the attached Service List in the manner specified, 

either via transmission of Notices of Electronic Filing generated by CM/ECF or in some other 

authorized manner for those counsel or parties who are not authorized to receive electronically 

Notices of Electronic Filing. 

By: s/John S. Leinicke____________ 

JOHN S. LEINICKE 

Assistant United States Attorney

SERVICE LIST

Diana McLaughlin, Esq.

10661 Airport Pulling Road, Suite 9

Naples, FL 34109

Tel: 239 330 6332

drdiana@dianamclaughlin.com

FBN: 84479

Attorney for Plaintiff

Lourdes E. Wydler

F.B.N. 71981

lew@marrerolegal.com

Oscar E. Marrero

F.B.N. 372714

oem@merrerolegal.com

Marrero & Wydler

2600 Douglas Road, PH-4

Coral Gables, FL 33134

Tel: 305 446 5528

Fax: 305 446 0995

Attorneys for State Defendants

Case 1:20-cv-22942-KMM Document 44 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/01/2020 Page 3 of 4
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JOHN S. LEINICKE

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Court ID Bar No. 64927

United States Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Florida 

99 N.E. 4th Street, 3rd Floor

Miami, Florida 33132-2211

Tel: 305 961 9212

john.leinicke@usdoj.gov

Counsel for Defendants

U.S. Department of Education

Secretary Elisabeth Devos

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