*Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the Court has determined that

this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except

under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

___________________

No. 99-10437

Summary Calendar

___________________

MICHAEL BITSOFF,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

versus

CITY OF DALLAS,

Defendant-Appellee.

_____________________________________________________________

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Northen District of Texas

(3-98-CV-1262-BD-R)

_________________________________________________________________

October 19, 1999

Before DAVIS, SMITH, and BARKSDALE, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

For this challenge to a summary judgment, at issue are whether

the government employee’s complaints about his supervisor’s

management style and conduct in office are protected by the First

Amendment; and whether the claimed retaliation for exercising First

Amendment rights is a deprivation of a property interest under the

Fourteenth Amendment.

Michael Bitsoff was employed by a public service radio station

owned by the City Of Dallas. His immediate supervisor was

supervised by Greg Davis. In June 1997, the relationship between

Bitsoff and Davis began to sour. Bitsoff made complaints to a City
- 2 -

Human Resources Analyst and to Davis’ Supervisor, that Davis’

management style was verbally abusive, physically intimidating and

creating a hostile work environment. Bitsoff also complained that

Davis 1) demanded special services from vendors and clients; 2)

negotiated deals that violated pre-existing contracts or benefitted

Davis personally; and 3) ordered Bitsoff to falsify a mileage

report (collectively malfeasance in office).

Following these complaints, Bitsoff claims that Davis

retaliated against him, eventually leading to his resignation,

which he equates to a constructive discharge. Bitsoff filed suit

claiming retaliation for exercising his First Amendment rights and

a Substantive Due Process claim regarding his property interest in

his job. 

The district court granted summary judgment for the City,

holding that 1) the complaints about Davis’ management style were

not protected speech; 2) the reports of mismanagement and

malfeasance in office were of public concern; but, that 3)Bitsoff

had not presented any evidence linking these reports to an adverse

employment action against him; and 4) that the deprivation of a

property right in the job fell with the First Amendment claim,

because it was based on the same underlying facts.

No authority need be cited for the rules that a summary

judgment is reviewed de novo; and that such judgment is proper if

there is no material fact issue, and the movant is entitled to

judgment as a matter of law. 
- 3 -

The three part test developed by this circuit for First

Amendment retaliation cases is: 1) the speech involves a matter of

public concern; 2) the employee’s interest in commenting on the

matter outweighs the employer’s interest in promoting efficiency;

and 3) the exercise of free speech was a substantial motivating

factor in the adverse employment action. E.g., Denton v. Morgan,

136 F.3d 1038, 1042 n.2 (5th Cir.1998). Essentially for the

reasons stated by the district court, the summary judgment was

proper. See Connick v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138, 146 (1983); Fowler v.

Smith 68 F.3d 124, 128 (5th Cir. 1995).

AFFIRMED