You’re Fired?
What First Amendment rights, if any, do White House staffers have if President Trump fires them for leaking information? Summer associate Thomas Paris and associate Evan Gibbs explore the question in a column for Above the Law. They write, “On one hand, some citizens see leakers as a destabilizing force creating significant disruption in the efficient governance of our nation. Others consider leaks as the foundation for transparency and government accountability.” The pair go on to discuss the First Amendment rights of public employees and use case law to examine the leakers’ protections. They conclude, writing, “In the end, although free speech protections for unauthorized leaking of this type is far from certain, President Trump might want to think twice before rolling out his famous catch phrase, ‘You’re fired!’”