Opinion ID: 572404
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Would EPA Have Made the Same Decision Absent Hubbard's Speech?

Text: 48 Under the fourth prong of Pickering, the employer must be given the opportunity to prove that it would have reached the same decision even absent the protected conduct. Mt. Healthy, 429 U.S. at 287, 97 S.Ct. at 576; Hall, 856 F.2d at 258. This is a question of fact, Hall, 856 F.2d at 258, and, as such, the trial court's findings on this point may not be set aside unless clearly erroneous. See Anderson v. Bessemer City, 470 U.S. 564, 573-81, 105 S.Ct. 1504, 1511-15, 84 L.Ed.2d 518 (1985); Pullman-Standard v. Swint, 456 U.S. 273, 102 S.Ct. 1781, 72 L.Ed.2d 66 (1982). The District [292 U.S.App.D.C. 286] Court found that Beeson's beliefs about Hubbard's speech were the but-for cause of EPA's refusal to hire. We have no basis to overturn this finding. 49 EPA asserts that Hubbard's lack of white collar and corporate crime investigation experience made Hubbard unqualified. But, the trial testimony demonstrated that white collar and corporate crime experience was not a mandatory qualification; experience investigating class I felonies, which Hubbard had, was an adequate substitute. Tr. vol. I, at 63 (Testimony of William Steakley). Other candidates without white collar or corporate crime experience were hired. Id. at 86. The District Court concluded: 50 The record reflects that Hubbard's qualifications were equal to or exceeded those of lower-ranked candidates ultimately hired for the positions. Hubbard was not offered a position despite the recommendation of Steakley, shared by Graff, that he be hired. In light of this evidence, the Court concludes that were it not for Hubbard's speech regarding the Capitol Hill investigation, he would have been hired as a criminal investigator by EPA. 51 735 F.Supp. at 439. 52 In sum, there can be no doubt on this record that the District Court was correct in finding that EPA violated Hubbard's First Amendment rights when it refused to hire him.