Stars and Stripes Staff Sue Pentagon Over Firings
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, three employees of the military publication Stars and Stripes have filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon in protest of their dismissal.
The terminated employees accuse the Donald Trump administration of violating their freedom of speech due to their objections to government interference in their professional activities, leading to their termination. Max Lederer, publisher of Stars and Stripes; Eric Slavin, editor-in-chief; and Lara J. Korte, Middle East correspondent, are listed as plaintiffs in the federal case registered in Washington D.C. on Thursday.
The Pentagon, which partially funds the publication, dismissed the employees last week. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations made in the lawsuit. Slavin stated that he was removed from his position for “insubordination” after voicing concerns about potential censorship by the U.S. military in an interview with CBS News. Korte also participated in the same interview. The lawsuit asserts that the firings were retaliatory and occurred after the publication of a report detailing deteriorating conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.
The complaint reads: “The editorial independence of Stripes is vital to its core mission of gathering and delivering impartial, credible journalism to the U.S. military community, especially service members and their families stationed overseas.”
