Opinion ID: 741895
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 24 The OTA, 4 Scott, and Young argue that the district court erred in denying their motion for judgment as a matter of law on each of Mason's claims. We review de novo the district court's determination of a motion for judgment as a matter of law, applying the same standard as the district court. Haines v. Fisher, 82 F.3d 1503, 1510 (10th Cir.1996). Under this standard, judgment as a matter of law is warranted only if the evidence points but one way and is susceptible to no reasonable inferences supporting the party opposing the motion. Id. We do not weigh the evidence, pass on the credibility of the witnesses, or substitute our conclusions for that of the jury. However, we must enter judgment as a matter of law in favor of the moving party if 'there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis ... with respect to a claim or defense ... under the controlling law.'  Harolds Stores, Inc. v. Dillard Dep't Stores, Inc., 82 F.3d 1533, 1546-47 (10th Cir.) (citations omitted) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 50(a)), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 117 S.Ct. 297, 136 L.Ed.2d 216 (1996). 25
26 First, the defendants contend there is insufficient evidence to support the jury's verdict on Mason's section 1983 political patronage claim. The First Amendment protects public employees from discrimination based upon their political beliefs, affiliation, or non-affiliation unless their work requires political allegiance. Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois, 497 U.S. 62, 68-69, 110 S.Ct. 2729, 2733-34, 111 L.Ed.2d 52 (1990); Branti v. Finkel, 445 U.S. 507, 513, 100 S.Ct. 1287, 1292, 63 L.Ed.2d 574 (1980). Here, the defendants do not argue that the position of principal assistant at the OTA requires political allegiance. Thus, to have prevailed on his political discrimination claim, Mason was required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that his non-affiliation with, or lack of support by, the Democratic party was a substantial or motivating factor behind his dismissal. Laidley v. McClain, 914 F.2d 1386, 1392 (10th Cir.1990); Brown v. Reardon, 770 F.2d 896, 899 (10th Cir.1985); LaRou v. Ridlon, 98 F.3d 659, 661 (1st Cir.1996). 5 27 Having reviewed the record, we hold that when all reasonable inferences are drawn in Mason's favor, the jury could reasonably infer that political patronage was a motivating factor in Mason's dismissal. As previously described, the jury heard evidence that Scott told Ridings he wanted to hire Beach as a political favor, and that the Governor's Chief of Staff, Jerry Goodman, also pressured Ridings to hire Beach. Mason, a political independent, testified that Scott was so concerned with finding a permanent position for Beach that he threatened Mason with termination when he learned that Mason opposed giving Beach such a position. Furthermore, Mason presented evidence that Beach received Mason's position shortly after making a campaign contribution to the Governor; that Young, who ultimately terminated Mason and hired Beach, met with the Governor and Goodman shortly after Beach made the contribution; and that Young hired Beach as his principal assistant without ever interviewing him or gaining any serious evaluation of his work, even though Young had met Beach on only one occasion eight years earlier. While this evidence does not compel the conclusion that political patronage motivated Young's decision to discharge Mason, it certainly supports such an inference. 28 We also find the evidence supports the jury's conclusion that Scott participated in, or encouraged, Young's decision to discharge Mason for political patronage. The jury heard that Scott had pressured Young's predecessor to hire Beach, and that Scott had threatened Mason that Beach might have Mason's job one of these days. Young met with Scott, the Chairman of the OTA's personnel committee, on the very day that a detailed, written record of a plan to discharge Mason was completed. Mason testified that Young told him Scott had approved his discharge. 29 Furthermore, the jury was entitled to disbelieve Young's testimony regarding the independence of his decision-making. The jury may have found it peculiar that Young would hire as his principal assistant a person he barely knew and had never interviewed. They may have found incredible Young's claim that even though he spoke with Scott, the personnel chairman, on March 19, Young never mentioned the fact that he planned to terminate the OTA's Chief Financial Officer on March 22. The jury also was entitled to disbelieve Scott's denials and conclude that Scott in fact accomplished what he had earlier threatened--namely, to terminate Mason and hire Beach. See Anthony v. Sundlun, 952 F.2d 603, 606 (1st Cir.1991) (Notwithstanding a person's disclaimers, a contrary state of mind may be inferred from what he does and from a factual mosaic tending to show that he really meant to accomplish that which he professes not to have intended.). 30 The defendants argue, however, that political patronage could not have caused Mason's discharge because Young planned to terminate Mason in any event as part of a legitimate reorganization. This argument fails for at least two reasons. First, the jury may simply have disbelieved Young's testimony regarding his reorganization plans. Second, even if the jury did believe there was a legitimate motive behind Mason's discharge, it still may have concluded that other illegitimate factors also motivated the decision. Mason was not required to prove that political patronage was the sole cause behind his discharge. Rather, once Mason proved political patronage was a motivating factor behind his dismissal, the burden of persuasion shifted to the defendants to prove, as an affirmative defense, that the discharge would have occurred regardless of any discriminatory political motivation. Gardetto v. Mason, 100 F.3d 803, 811 (10th Cir.1996); see also Mt. Healthy City Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ. v. Doyle, 429 U.S. 274, 287, 97 S.Ct. 568, 576, 50 L.Ed.2d 471 (1977); Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228, 250, 109 S.Ct. 1775, 1790, 104 L.Ed.2d 268 (1989) ( 'The employer is a wrongdoer; he has acted out of a motive that is declared illegitimate by the statute. It is fair that he bear the risk that the influence of legal and illegal motives cannot be separated ....'  (quoting NLRB v. Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. 393, 403, 103 S.Ct. 2469, 2475, 76 L.Ed.2d 667 (1983))). The defendants never requested a jury instruction on such an affirmative defense and, in any event, we cannot say the record compels the conclusion that Mason would have been dismissed even absent the discriminatory motivation. See Acevedo-Diaz v. Aponte, 1 F.3d 62, 67 (1st Cir.1993). The district court did not err in denying the defendants' motion for judgment as a matter of law on the section 1983 claim. 31
32 Oklahoma state law forbids an employee's discharge for refusal to participate in an illegal activity, when that discharge is coupled with a showing of bad faith, malice or retaliation. Groce v. Foster, 880 P.2d 902, 904-05 (Okla.1994). To warrant submission of such a wrongful discharge claim to the jury, a plaintiff must present sufficient evidence from which a jury could reasonably conclude that the discharge was significantly motivated by the plaintiff's refusal to violate the law. White v. American Airlines, Inc., 915 F.2d 1414, 1421 (10th Cir.1990). The defendants contend that Mason failed to meet this burden. We disagree. 33 At trial, Mason presented evidence that he openly opposed the use of surplus funds for the construction of the Coweta Toll Plaza. Mason testified that when Young learned of this opposition, he told Mason that Scott would be very upset. Jim Berry testified that, less than a week before Mason's discharge, Scott threatened to get a new Chief Financial Officer if Mason continued to oppose the toll plaza. Similarly, Mason testified that just six days before his discharge Scott told him, [I]f you continue to obstruct this [toll plaza] project, I'll have your job. Three days later, Scott met with Young and a written plan to discharge Mason was completed. These direct threats of retaliation, coupled with the timing of the discharge, sufficiently support the jury's conclusion that retaliation against Mason for his opposition to illegal activity significantly motivated his discharge. See Wallace v. Halliburton Co., 850 P.2d 1056, 1059 (Okla.1993) (timing may be evidence of a retaliatory discharge). Though both Scott and Young vehemently denied any retaliatory motive, it was for the jury to weigh and assess the evidence. 6 34 The defendants argue that such retaliation could not have caused Mason's discharge because he would have been terminated in any event as part of a reorganization. But, as with his political patronage claim, Mason was not required to prove that retaliation was the sole motivation behind his discharge. Instead, he need only have proved that retaliation was a significant factor. As evidenced by the verdict, the jury plainly believed that Mason's discharge was caused by at least two motives: political patronage and retaliation. While a third, legitimate motive (reorganization) may also have motivated the discharge, this does not preclude liability. The district court did not err in denying judgment as a matter of law. 7 35
36 The jury found Sam Scott liable for tortious interference in Mason's contractual relationship with the OTA. In order to support such a verdict, Mason need have presented sufficient evidence from which a jury could reasonably conclude that (1) Mason had a contractual right which was interfered with; (2) the interference was wrongful and malicious; (3) the interference was neither justified, privileged, nor excusable; and (4) damages were proximately sustained as a result of the interference. Johnson v. Nasca, 802 P.2d 1294, 1297 (Okla.App.1990). On appeal, Scott argues that, as an OTA member, he was not a third party to Mason's contract and was legally incapable of tortious interference. Scott also argues that even if he were legally capable of interfering in Mason's contract, Mason did not present sufficient evidence of such interference. 37 The Oklahoma Supreme Court has not directly addressed whether a corporate officer, director or other employee can be held liable for tortiously interfering in a corporate contract. 8 We are convinced, however, that corporate employees can be found liable under Oklahoma law for tortious interference with a corporate contract. See Johnson, 802 P.2d at 1297 (suggesting a tortious interference claim could be stated against the supervisor who actually made the decision to terminate the plaintiff). As with any tortious interference claim, the determinative issue remains whether the actor's interference was justified, privileged, or excusable. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has held that it is not unlawful for one to 'interfere with the contractual relations of another if [this is done] by fair means, if [it is] accomplished by honest intent, and if [it is done] to better one's own business and not to principally harm another.'  Morrow Dev. Corp. v. American Bank & Trust, 875 P.2d 411, 416 n. 21 (Okla.1994) (alterations in original) (quoting Del State Bank v. Salmon, 548 P.2d 1024, 1027 (Okla.1976)). Therefore, a corporate officer's or director's interference with a corporate contract will be privileged only when the interference is undertaken in good faith and for a bona fide organizational purpose. Q.E.R., Inc. v. Hickerson, 880 F.2d 1178, 1184 (10th Cir.1989) (applying Colorado law); Allison v. American Airlines, Inc., 112 F.Supp. 37, 38 (N.D.Okla.1953). 38 The Restatement suggests consideration of the following factors in determining whether a person acted improperly in interfering in a contract or prospective contract: 39
40 (b) the actor's motive,(c) the interests of the other with which the actor's conduct interferes, 41 (d) the interests sought to be advanced by the actor, 42 (e) the social interests in protecting the freedom of action of the actor and the contractual interests of the other, 43 (f) the proximity or remoteness of the actor's conduct to the interference and 44 (g) the relations between the parties. 45 Restatement (Second) of Torts § 767 (1979); see also Morrow, 875 P.2d at 416 (noting the relevance of the Restatement in delineating the elements of tortious interference). When a corporate officer or director seeks the termination of a fellow employee for reasons that violate both public policy and the employee's constitutional rights, that officer or director does not act with an honest intent or for a bona fide organizational purpose, and the factors suggested by the Restatement weigh heavily in favor of finding that such interference is not justified. See, e.g., Petroskey v. Lommen, Nelson, Cole, & Stageberg, 847 F.Supp. 1437, 1450 (D.Minn.1994), aff'd, 40 F.3d 278 (8th Cir.1994) (noting that an employer's officer or agent may be liable for tortious interference if the motivation underlying the interference was sufficiently improper to establish a claim against the employer for wrongful discharge). Scott's status as an OTA member did not preclude submission of Mason's tortious interference claim to the jury. 46 Furthermore, we have already delineated the evidence in the record from which the jury could reasonably have inferred that Scott participated in, and encouraged, Young's decision to discharge Mason. This same evidence supports the jury's finding that Scott interfered in Mason's employment relationship. The district court did not err in denying judgment as a matter of law on this claim.