Opinion ID: 2758606
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Constitutional Due Process Claim

Text: Mr. Wyrick contends he has a constitutional claim because the “Agency denied him due process by failing to provide him an opportunity to reply to evidence on which the deciding official relied upon in rendering his decision.” Pet’r’s Br. 3. Specifically, the AJ found that Mr. Waterman had commented “one of the factors” contributing to Mr. Waterman’s recommendation of removal was a June 8, 2010, conversation between Mr. Waterman and Mr. Wyrick in which Mr. Wyrick had been “less than truthful.” Resp’t’s App. 38 (internal quotation marks omitted). Mr. Wyrick argued he did not have a chance to respond to this evidence, and his due process rights were therefore violated. The AJ addressed this argument, and determined that though “the deciding official may consider only information that is in the notice of proposed removal or the employee’s response,” this information was “merely cumulative” and there was nothing that pointed “towards prejudice” against Mr. Wyrick, and if there was error, it was “harmless.” Id. at 38–40 (internal quotation marks omitted). Moreover, it is undisputed this conversation was never specified as a reason for removal in the proposal letter. This court accordingly discerns no error in the Board’s affirmance of the AJ’s decision.