Opinion ID: 186079
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Stewart's Case under McDonnell Douglas

Text: 24 Stewart also challenges the District Court's finding that he failed to rebut the Government's legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for not selecting him-that Uhlmann was more qualified. We analyze this case under the familiar McDonnell Douglas test. McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). To establish a prima facie case, Appellant must first show that (1) he is a member of a protected class; (2) he applied for and was qualified for an available position; and (3) despite his qualifications he was rejected. Id. at 802, 93 S.Ct. at 1824. Furthermore, Appellant must at least establish that his rejection was not based on the two most common legitimate reasons on which an employer might rely to reject a job applicant: an absolute or relative lack of qualifications or the absence of a vacancy in the job sought. Morgan v. Federal Home Loan Mortgage, 328 F.3d 647, 651 (D.C.Cir. 2003). 25 If the plaintiff establishes his prima facie case, the defendant then bears the burden of producing evidence that the plaintiff was rejected, or someone else was preferred, for a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason. Id. If the defendant produces such evidence, McDonnell Douglas, with its presumptions and burdens disappears and the sole remaining issue is discrimination vel non.  Id. 26 The District Court found the Government's nondiscriminatory reason for hiring Uhlmann over Stewart — that Uhlmann had more managerial experience — persuasive. This, the District Court noted, shifted the burden back to Stewart to provide sufficient evidence such that a jury could find this proffered reason was a pretext for discrimination. Paquin v. National Mortgage Ass'n, 119 F.3d 23, 27-28 (D.C.Cir.1997). The District Court held that appellant offered no evidence to rebut the Government's legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for selecting Uhlmann. On appeal, the Government maintains that position. Stewart, on the other hand, argues that he is so much more qualified than Uhlmann that a jury could reasonably determine that relying on Uhlmann's qualifications was a pretext for discrimination. 27 Under the liberal requirements for establishing a prima facie case, Appellant has met the burden of McDonnell Douglas only as to the first positive elements. Cones v. Shalala, 199 F.3d 512, 518 (D.C.Cir.2000) ([Plaintiff] established that he was substantively qualified and [the Government] selected a white person.). Here, Stewart has set forth sufficient facts that he is substantively qualified for the job and a white person was selected. A recounting here of Stewart's many qualifications is not required. It is sufficient to note that Stewart, along with Deborah Smith, the Deputy Chief of ECS, and Uhlmann were the final three candidates for the Chief position. Sobeck Dep. 38. Stewart has rebutted two common legitimate reasons for not being selected, an absolute ... lack of qualifications or the absence of a vacancy in the job sought. Morgan, 328 F.3d at 651. 28 The Government responds that its selection of ECS Chief was based on its observations of Stewart's performance and determinations that Uhlmann was more qualified. Uhlmann took a more keen interest in management. Several parties testified that, although Stewart was a part of management, he rarely attended management meetings. Ms. Smith, Deputy Chief of ECS, testified that prior ECS Chiefs express[ed] frustration from time to time that [Stewart] wasn't there more often at management meetings, or otherwise involved in management of ECS. Smith Dep. 35. See also Sobeck Dep. 84 (Stewart had shown little interest or initiative in administrative or leadership matters); Uhlmann Dep. 14 (Stewart wasn't a particularly active member or participant in [management] meetings, and my sense was, he frequently absented himself). 29 The Government also points to the application process. Uhlmann prepared a 21-page application explaining his vision for ECS in terms of detailed goals. In addition, with each goal he proposed for ECS, he explained how his qualifications would enable him to make the goal a reality. Stewart's application, on the other hand, was largely a reproduction of a 1995 memorandum sent by Schiffer to the SES board regarding Stewart's Executive Core Qualifications. Reading the Schiffer memorandum and Stewart's application together, it is clear that much less effort and thought went into it than the Uhlmann application. The Stewart application caused great concern to Schiffer, and others, as a piece of writing. Schiffer Dep. 161. Additionally, as detailed below, Stewart's qualifications were simply not superior to Uhlmann's so as to create an inference that the Government's selection of Uhlmann was based on any discriminatory reason. 30 Having set forth a nondiscriminatory reason for Uhlmann's selection, McDonnell Douglas, with its presumptions and burdens disappears and the sole remaining issue is discrimination vel non.  Morgan, 328 F.3d at 651. The question then becomes whether a reasonable finder of fact could determine that the Government's proffered reason was a pretext for discrimination. Paquin, 119 F.3d at 27-28. 31 This case is about a dispute over job qualifications. On that issue, our decision in Aka v. Washington Hospital, 156 F.3d 1284 (D.C.Cir.1998) ( en banc ), is instructive. In that case, the plaintiff had made out a prima facie case of discrimination under McDonnell Douglas and refuted the employer's proffered nondiscrimination reasons. Aka's qualifications were quite superior to those of Valenzuela, the candidate the hospital selected for a pharmaceutical job. In the pharmaceutical area, Aka had nineteen years of professional experience, versus Valenzuela's two months of volunteer work. Aka had earned two degrees, while Valenzuela had earned none. Stewart's evidence presents no such stark superiority of credentials over those of the successful candidates. 32 As a threshold matter, Stewart, a highly regarded litigator who has handled very complex environmental litigation, incorrectly and perhaps wishfully, states that litigation experience is the most critical trait to be Chief of ECS. The Government takes the position that while litigation experience is required, management experience is the most critical. Specifically, the DOJ required the Chief to have: experience in managing complex organizations, creating training programs, establishing and prioritizing enforcement initiatives, and developing ECS policy. It is clear Uhlmann had these skills and Stewart lacked them. Because courts are not super-personnel department[s] that reexamine[] an entity's business decision[s], we defer to the Government's decision of what nondiscriminatory qualities it will seek in filling the Chief position. Dale v. Chicago Tribune Co., 797 F.2d 458, 464 (7th Cir.1986). 33 Turning to the comparison of qualifications that Stewart presents, he was simply not discernibly better than Uhlmann. Stewart relies heavily on the fact that he was already an SES employee, whereas Uhlmann was not. While this is true, it says little about the level of relative qualifications between the two men to serve as Chief. Indeed, Uhlmann was immediately accepted into the SES when he was recommended. Stewart, in accordance with his view that litigation experience should be the driving factor, argues that he has more extensive prosecutorial experience than Uhlmann. While the record does reveal that Stewart had more prosecutorial experience in environmental matters, Uhlmann also had substantial experience as a prosecutor, with over 25 jury trials to his credit. Stewart essentially argues that these don't really count, because 20 of them were in District of Columbia Superior Court and did not involve environmental matters. We don't find Stewart's detailed challenges to the substance of Uhlmann's particular trials persuasive. The Government looks at trial experience as one factor in selecting the Chief, and both Uhlmann and Stewart had prosecutorial experience. The fine distinctions over the substance of those trials are not sufficient to give rise to suspicion of pretext or a jury finding of discrimination. Had Uhlmann never tried a case, perhaps we would have to look further, but that is simply not what occurred here. Schiffer testified that he was highly regarded by the Solicitor General's Office. Schiffer Dep. 159. This is no small indication of his ability as a litigator. Additionally, prior to his selection as Chief, he served for two and a half years as Assistant Chief of the division, a position that provided him with substantial management and leadership experience in ECS. 34 Stewart also states he is better prepared to work with the various United States Attorney's offices around the country, owing to his two years of service as an AUSA in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In this realm, he challenges Uhlmann's relative inexperience — only six months as an AUSA as part of a DOJ training program. Again, like Stewart's detailed testing of Uhlmann's trial experience, these distinctions are too fine to make Uhlmann's selection questionable. Both Stewart and Uhlmann had served as AUSAs, and an 18-month longer tour for Stewart does not set him that far ahead of Uhlmann. 35 In discussing a Court's review of an employer's decision to promote based on superior qualifications, this Court stated: 36 We must assume that a reasonable juror who might disagree with the employer's decision, but would find the question close, would not usually infer discrimination on the basis of a comparison of qualifications alone. In a close case, a reasonable juror would usually assume that the employer is more capable of assessing the significance of small differences in the qualification of the candidates, or that the employer made a judgment call. 37 Aka, 156 F.3d at 1294. The selection of ECS Chief necessarily depends on assessing the significance of small differences in the qualifications and making a judgment call. Id. Based on this framework, Stewart's pointing to differences in qualifications that merely indicate a close call does not get him beyond summary judgment. This Court will not reexamine governmental promotion decisions where it appears the Government was faced with a difficult decision between two qualified candidates, particularly when there is no other evidence that race played a part in the decision. 38 Finally, we address Stewart's argument that the Government used his involvement in a faction at ECS as a pretext for discrimination. Apparently, during a period in the mid-1990s, ECS had serious personnel problems resulting in balkanization of the office. While the parties do not fully explain the problems involved, it is sufficient to note that it involved competing interests by groups inside ECS and was serious enough to affect the ECS's dealings with other agencies. Stewart asserts that his membership in one of the factions provided Schiffer and the Government with the original reason for not selecting him as Chief. Stewart claims, however, that this is self-contradictory, as Schiffer has subsequently selected Chiefs who were involved in the infighting, including Uhlmann. According to Stewart, this proves that relying on his involvement in a faction as a grounds for denying him the position is a pretext. This argument fails. Stewart points to nowhere in the record where Schiffer contradicts herself. He merely assumes that it would be a contradiction for her to not select him partly based on the fact that he was involved in Section infighting, yet select someone who was also involved. The record does not provide any force to Stewart's argument. First, Schiffer did not rely solely on Stewart's involvement in the infighting as a reason for not selecting him. Furthermore, it appears that anyone in ECS at the time of the factionalization would be identified with some aspect of it. Uhlmann, according to Schiffer's testimony, was never identified with the more intense factional activity. 39 Lastly, there is a complete lack of evidence in the record that indicates race was a factor in the selection of Uhlmann as Chief of ECS. The only evidence Stewart offers is the testimony of Nadira Clark, an administrative assistant to Schiffer. This testimony is wholly unpersuasive. When asked if she thought race was a factor, Ms. Clark testified that I don't know. I don't know. I can't speculate one way or another about that. I guess what I would say is that ... any selection of a minority candidate... is always going to be scrutinized a little bit more.... Clark Dep. 33-34. She further testified that Schiffer was very interested in finding minority candidates for management positions. Id. at 80. Clarke's testimony, in whole, is unpersuasive and admittedly based on speculation. It would not support a jury finding of liability.