Road Workers Not Discriminated Against Because of Political Affiliation

In Trujillo v. Huerfano County Board, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals—the federal court having jurisdiction over Utah—ruled that two former road supervisors who had publicly supported a Democratic candidate for county commissioner had not been discriminated against when they were disciplined by a new Road Supervisor who had been installed shortly after the Republican county commissioner was sworn in. The Court ruled that the temporal proximity of the discipline was insufficient to establish political retaliation when other substantial evidence existed that showed the two other county commissioners—both Democrats—supported the changes that took place before the discipline occurred.