Court Opinion

ID: 9476759
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 06:04:35.816541+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:45:29.499609
License: Public Domain

TORRUELLA, Circuit Judge
(concurring in part; dissenting in part).
I join the majority’s conclusion that the position of Special Assistant II to the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Highway Authority (“PRHA”) requires political affiliation for its effective performance. Branti v. Finkel, 445 U.S. 507, 518, 100 S.Ct. 1287, 1295, 63 L.Ed.2d 574 (1980). It appears from the uncontested job description that this employee works closely with the Executive Director, advises him directly on administrative matters, and personally implements the Executive Director’s orders.
I disagree with the rest of the opinion, however. The remaining plaintiffs, regardless of their official characterization as policymakers or trust employees, are technocrats whose work is related to non-political matters such as highway design, construction, maintenance, management, accounting, and labor relations within the PRHA. For example, while the position of Technical Aide entails accessibility and accountability to the Executive Director, its duties concern mostly specialized and professional matters such as giving advice on engineering issues, reviewing agency regulations and procedures, and handling the Director’s technical assignments. If this court were to be faithful to de Choudens and Branti, that position and the others would be treated as non-political.
The district court reasonably could have found, from the uncontested job descriptions, that partisan politics have no bearing 1) on the design and inspection of highways (Director of the Design Area); 2) on how work is subcontracted or how the operational and administrative phases of construction are carried out (Director of the Construction Area); 3) on the coordination of “technical services” and administration of properties within the agency (Director of the Plans Area); and 4) on how toll facilities are administered (Director of Toll Facilities). I also find it incomprehensible why the Internal Auditor, who spends most of his time advising higher-ups regarding purely technical and economic matters, requires political affiliation, unless de Choudens and Branti have been overruled sub silentio. And the Personnel Director as well, responsible for planning, supervising and coordinating employee programs, recruiting personnel, and advising the Director in relation to labor and employment laws, should be treated as non-political. Unless political patronage is still the law of the land, I cannot see how the decision to hire, train, and discipline a public employee should depend on the personnel manager’s party affiliation.
For the reasons stated in Juarbe-Angueira v. Arias, 831 F.2d 11 (1st Cir.1987) (dissenting) the law was clearly established against the firings that have taken place here.
I therefore dissent.