Opinion ID: 747631
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: James Kenneth Cooper

Text: 30 Plaintiff Cooper began working for the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department as a deputy in July of 1987. In response to defendant's motion for summary judgment, plaintiff Cooper argues that the following items in the record raise a genuine issue regarding whether he was fired in retaliation for his support of defendant's political opponents. Cooper testified at deposition that he showed his support for York by putting up campaign signs all over the county and putting bumper stickers on his truck. Plaintiff Cooper conceded at deposition that he never told defendant that he supported York, and relies only on his claim that his support for York was common knowledge as evidence that defendant knew of his political inclinations. 31 The District Court granted summary judgment in favor of defendant against Cooper because it found that even if Cooper had referred to enough evidence to survive a motion for summary judgment, defendant was nonetheless protected by qualified immunity. We find it unnecessary to reach the issue of qualified immunity in this case. Although we draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the nonmoving party, plaintiff still has not met his burden of presenting significant and probative evidence that could support a conclusion that he was fired in retaliation for his political affiliation. He has put forth no evidence that defendant actually knew of his support of defendant's political rival or that this affiliation motivated his dismissal. On these grounds, we affirm the District Court's grant of summary judgment in favor of defendant.