Constitutional Law

Mass. town fires firefighter for Facebook postings

By By The Associated Press

BOURNE, Mass. ? A veteran Bourne firefighter has been fired for posting comments critical of his superiors and other town officials on his Facebook page.

Town Administrator Thomas Guerino released a ruling on Feb. 23 that said 16-year firefighter Richard Doherty had "disqualified himself" from his job because his postings "that ridicule and disparage" others were in violation of department rules.

According to the Cape Cod Times, Guerino said in the ruling that on one occasion, Doherty reportedly used a homosexual slur, and in another he wrote of his anger at having to work on July 4.

Guerino also said that some of Doherty?s postings were apparently made while the firefighter was on duty.

Doherty did not comment, but Gilbert Taylor, the fire department's union president, said the union would support Doherty if he appealed the termination.

Taylor told the newspaper that the town is trying to portray Doherty as a bigot, racist and homophobe, but ?if anything, he?s guilty of being a very vocal person. He speaks before he thinks.

"He has a right to be stupid, and he has a right to say what he wants to say,? Taylor was quoted by the newspaper as saying. ?Just because you're a public safety employee doesn't mean you lose your freedom of speech."

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on February 25, 2011 (boomark / email).