Justices ease whistleblower protections

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A divided Supreme Court said yesterday that free-speech rights do not shield government employees -- even proclaimed whistleblowers reporting wrongdoing -- from punishment for comments made on the job.

"When public employees make statements pursuant to their official duties, the employees are not speaking as citizens" protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution, the court ruled in a 5-4 vote.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., the high court's newest jurist, cast the tie-breaking vote for the majority that said government employers "need a significant degree of control over their employees' words and actions; without it, there would be little chance for efficient provision of public services."

The majority opinion did say First Amendment free-speech rights are protected when a public employee is being retaliated against for conduct involving a "public concern," rather than personal, job-related issues.

Critics said the ruling could silence nearly all of the nation's 20 million civil servants, who now can be "disciplined" for exposing official abuse through their government positions.

"This ruling is a green light for corrupt politicians to fire whistleblowers. Almost all whistleblowing occurs as part of an employee's official duties. This is the worst Supreme Court ruling on whistleblowing in 50 years," said Stephen Kohn, chairman of the National Whistleblower Center.

The majority opinion was written by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and endorsed by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Justice David H. Souter wrote a dissenting opinion, embraced by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens, that said public workers should be eligible for First Amendment protection. Justice Stephen G. Breyer filed a separate dissenting opinion.

"Public employees are still citizens while they are in office. The notion that there is a categorical difference between speaking as a citizen and speaking in the course of one's employment is wrong," Justice Breyer wrote.

Supporters said the ruling will protect governments from lawsuits filed by disgruntled workers pretending to be legitimate whistleblowers.