Opinion ID: 795058
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 3 The district court originally dismissed Ms. Bastien's complaint, concluding that the personnel actions taken by the Office were protected by the Speech or Debate Clause of the United States Constitution, U.S. Const. art. I, § 6 ¶ 1. See Bastien v. Office of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, 209 F.Supp.2d 1095, 1104 (D.Colo. 2002). On appeal, this court reversed and remanded. We held that only legislative acts, defined as official formal acts and perhaps their functional equivalent, are protected by the Speech or Debate Clause, and that, because Ms. Bastien's duties were not legislative and the personnel actions allegedly taken against her were not in themselves legislative, her CAA claim could proceed. See Bastien v. Office of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, 390 F.3d 1301, 1305-06 (10th Cir.2004). 4 Shortly after this court issued its opinion, Senator Campbell's term expired. The Office then filed a motion to dismiss the appeal and vacate the judgment on the ground that the litigation abated when the Senator's term ended because the defendant then ceased to exist. We denied the motion, but stated that [o]ur decision is without prejudice to [the Office] raising its abatement claim in district court. Bastien v. Office of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, 409 F.3d 1234, 1236 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 126 S.Ct. 396, 163 L.Ed.2d 274 (2005). 5 On remand the Office filed a motion to dismiss, arguing again that, because the Office, a necessary party to the litigation, ceased to exist, Ms. Bastien lost her right to proceed, and that the case had become moot. The district court denied the motion, concluding that under the CAA the term employing office actually refers to Congress and Congress is the responsible entity under the CAA. Bastien v. Office of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, 2005 WL 3334359,  (D.Colo.2005) (unpublished). Accordingly, the court concluded that there is a party to respond to a possible judgment, that there are adverse parties, and that the court could grant relief. This order is the subject of this appeal. 1