Court Asks for Reconsideration on Chambers Ruling
posted 4:16 am Fri February 15, 2008 - WASHINGTON
Suppporters of former U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers say a ruling by a federal court could open the door for her firing to be overturned.
Chambers was fired in July 2004, seven months after she was suspended for complaining publicly that her department was understaffed and underfunded. She says her statements were protected under federal whistleblower laws. The three-judge U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Thursday that the Merit Systems Protection Board properly upheld Chambers' firing in 2006. But two judges ruled that the board did not apply the correct standard in ruling on her whistleblower defense.
Chambers' supporters say that if the board determines her complaints were protected, it could then overturn her firing.
The court did not rule on several other challenges to Chambers' firing.
There's no timetable the board to reconsider.
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