Opinion ID: 706975
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: First Amendment-Retaliatory Discharge Claim

Text: 46 The standard for evaluating a First Amendment retaliation claim was established in Mt. Healthy City School Dist. v. Doyle, 429 U.S. 274, 97 S.Ct. 568, 50 L.Ed.2d 471 (1977). See Soranno's Gasco, Inc. v. Morgan, 874 F.2d 1310, 1314 (9th Cir.1989). First, the plaintiff must show that his protected conduct was a substantial or motivating factor in the defendant's decision. Then, the burden shifts to the defendant to demonstrate that the same decision would have been made in the absence of the protected conduct. Id. 47 In granting the defendants' summary judgment motion, the district court determined that the Clementses did not have an actionable First Amendment claim for retaliatory discharge. Relying on the affidavit of Robert White, the court reasoned that the Clementses' allegations of retaliation were unsupported. White's affidavit states that, prior to the reorganization, he had no knowledge regarding the Clementses' role in the Troupe incident. White asserted that he first learned of the plaintiffs' involvement at the grievance hearings held after their layoffs. Further, White stated that the purpose of the reorganization was to improve the quality and efficiency of Airport Authority operations. In granting summary judgment, the court determined that the plaintiffs had presented no evidence to counter White's affidavit. 48 This conclusion is simply wrong. Contrary to the district court's statement, the plaintiffs did present evidence refuting White's affidavit. The Clementses presented the transcripts of the grievance panels proceedings and the deposition of Robert Mall, Sue Clements' direct supervisor. Viewing those transcripts and the inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to plaintiff, as we must for purposes of summary judgment, the Mall testimony contradicts the White affidavit: it suggests that White was well aware of the Clementses' previous problems with Vernon Troupe. 18 Moreover, the Mall testimony suggests that the reorganization targeted Sue Clements rather than the position she held. 49 Furthermore, the plaintiffs point to several facts from which a fact finder could infer a retaliatory motive. Cf. Soranno's, 874 F.2d at 1315. The testimony at the grievance hearing shows that there was little difference between the positions formerly held by Douglas and Sue and the new positions created pursuant to the reorganization. There was also testimony as to Douglas's and Sue's high quality performance for the Airport Authority--thus suggesting no reason to deviate from established seniority layoff/bumping procedures. Finally, there was testimony that an individual Board member, at the time of the Troupe affair, had implicitly threatened Sue Clements. This evidence and the permissible inferences which can be drawn from it raises a material issue of fact as to whether Douglas's and Sue's whistle-blowing was a substantial factor in the elimination of their jobs. 19 Whether constitutionally protected activity played a substantial factor in the Clementses' termination presents a sufficient jury question to defeat summary judgment. See Schwartzman v. Valenzuela, 846 F.2d 1209, 1212 (9th Cir.1988); Soranno's, 874 F.2d at 1315. Accordingly, we reverse the district court's grant of summary judgment on this claim.