Mich. lawyer's firing over anti-gay remarks upheld

[Bozita]

Source: AP

MARCH 27, 2012 AT 1:57 PM
Mich. lawyer's firing over anti-gay remarks upheld
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS


Lansing— A state hearing officer has upheld the 2010 firing of an assistant attorney general who was accused of harassing the gay student government president at the University of Michigan.

William Hutchens of the Michigan Civil Service Commission says Andrew Shirvell was justly dismissed. He says the attorney engaged in "hate speech" on a blog and "physical and mental harassment."

Shirvell was fired by then-Attorney General Mike Cox in November 2010. He appealed, saying his conduct toward Christopher Armstrong was protected by the First Amendment. But the hearing officer says Shirvell's actions put his office in a bad light and could have discouraged people from working there.

Hutchens' decision is dated March 21. There was no immediate response Tuesday to an email seeking comment from Shirvell of North Babylon, N.Y.

Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120327/POLITICS02/203270435/Michigan-lawyer-s-firing-over-anti-gay-remarks-upheld?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

[louis-t]

1. I see, harassment is now 'free speech' according to teabaggers...

unless you are a Republican, then it's a 'Liberal plot to ruin your career'.

[Posteritatis]

2. That's more or less how Shirvell was spinning it at the time

Watching his interview with Cooper about it was ... something else. Alternating between "liberal plot" and "radical homosexual plot" continuously, and claiming the relevant harassment laws either didn't exist or were written by The Gays to oppress him.

[yardwork]

3. The AP headline is misleading. This was much more than "anti-gay remarks."

This assistant attorney general used his position to harass and even physically attack the student government president at UM. The harassment went on for months. It's incredible that the guy wasn't fired much earlier.

[fightforfreedom123]

4. Harassment is Free Speech tm

according to Ron Paul and his supporters.