Judge Allows Pentagon to Proceed with Firing of Stars and Stripes Journalists

A federal judge ruled on Friday that the Pentagon may proceed with the termination of three journalists from the Stars and Stripes military newspaper. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden rejected a request by the newspaper’s publisher, editor-in-chief, and a Middle East reporter to block the firings while their lawsuit against the dismissals moves through the legal system.

In a 24-page decision, McFadden determined that the government is unlikely to have violated the journalists’ First Amendment rights when they were fired last month. The case remains ongoing.