politics
Three journalists sue Pentagon after being fired from military news outlet
Three employees of Stars and Stripes, a government-funded news service, allege they were fired after reporting on USS Abraham Lincoln
TL;DR
- Three journalists are suing the Department of Defense, alleging illegal dismissal and violation of their First Amendment rights.
- The journalists were employed by Stars and Stripes, described as the U.S. military's independent news source.
- The lawsuit claims the dismissals were in retaliation for speaking up about press freedom and for publishing a report on conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
- Two journalists allegedly faced dismissal for "insubordination" after an interview where they objected to potential military censorship.
- The report on the USS Abraham Lincoln detailed food and water shortages, disrupted mail service, and long work hours impacting sailors' health.
- The former publisher, Max Lederer, allegedly refused an order to fire two colleagues and subsequently decided to retire, only to be dismissed shortly after.