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Max Lederer, Erik Slavin, and Lara Korte Sue Pentagon Over Alleged First Amendment Violations and Wrongful Termination

The Pentagon has granted a one-week reprieve to three staffers of the military news outlet Stars and Stripes, allowing them to remain on administrative leave while a federal court weighs a lawsuit regarding their dismissal. Max Lederer, Erik Slavin, and Lara Korte filed the suit against the Department of Defense, alleging that the administration's decision to fire them was a retaliatory act for their defense of the publication's editorial independence and for reporting on deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The journalists contend that their firings were triggered by an unflattering news report on the aircraft carrier and their public comments during a CBS News interview. The Pentagon, however, argues that the staffers were being dismissed for insubordination. The lawsuit also seeks to declare the repeal of editorial independence regulations unlawful. The next hearing is scheduled for September 4 to determine if a temporary restraining order will be issued to halt the firings permanently.

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