US Navy Officials Get Dismissal of Auditor’s Retaliation Claim

Several US Navy officials convinced a federal court to dismiss a claim alleging they unlawfully retaliated against an auditor and scientist for calling attention discrimination and misconduct.

Iona West, who worked the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indiana, is barred from accusing the officials of violating her First Amendment rights, Senior Judge Sarah Evans Barker of the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana said in a Thursday order dismissing one of several claims in West’s suit. This decision removed four individual defendants from the suit.

West framed this count as a Bivens claim, which allows plaintiffs to ...