Judge lets Pentagon move forward with firing Stars and Stripes journalists - cbsnews.com

A federal judge on Friday allowed the Pentagon to move forward with terminating three employees of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper. In a 24-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden turned down a request by the newspaper's publisher, editor-in-chief and Middle East reporter to halt their firings while a lawsuit challenging the terminations works its way through the court system. McFadden found the government likely did not violate their First Amendment rights by firing them last month.The plaintiffs — publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte — were given separation notices in August and placed on administrative leave over allegations of insubordination.