Click here to view original article firstliberty.org
Share: Insider 2023 09 15 A4 1200×630 V1 This week, First Liberty—along with our friends at the Church State Council and the law firm Baker Botts LLP—filed a petition in our Faith Under Fire case involving Fire Chief Ron Hittle. Last month, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court for Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision that allowed the City of Stockton, California to fire our client because he attended a leadership conference held at a church. We’re asking for an en banc rehearing, which means a panel of 11 judges on that court would rehear the case. “Firing Chief Hittle for attending a world-class leadership conference attended by thousands simply because it was associated with religion is clear evidence of illegal religious discrimination,” said Senior Counsel Stephanie Taub. “We urge the Ninth Circuit to grant rehearing en banc to fix the panel’s dangerous ruling.” You’ll recall that Chief Hittle was wrongfully fired because he went to a conference at a church that featured both secular and religious speakers talking about leadership. After 24 years of service, the City opened a months-long investigation, belittled his beliefs, mistreated him and eventually fired him. One of his superiors pressured […]