Susan McGuire Smith

Author: Susan McGuire Smith

Susan McGuire Smith spent most of her federal legal career with NASA, serving as Chief Counsel at Marshall Space Flight Center for 14 years. Her expertise is in government contracts, ethics, and personnel law.

Continuing Saga of Deep Throat

Deep Throat was an anonymous source for information given to the Washington Post about former President Richard Nixon. Deep Throat was an anonymous federal employee with inside information. The saga continues with disputes about the large amount of money that may be reaped from the story.

Table of Penalties is a Guide Court Tells Fired Fed

A federal employee can sometimes challenge a disciplinary or adverse action through arbitration instead of going to MSPB. That happened in this case and the employee was apparently disappointed when the arbitrator upheld his removal for inappropriate conduct. The employee then went to court to try and get the arbitration decision tossed out but the court found that a table of penalties is a guide and not binding on the agency and he remains fired.

Problems Follow to New Job in Different State

This Social Security Administration employee encountered problems in her first job with the agency and resigned after one suspension and a proposed second suspension. She was hired in a different office in another state two years later. After the job became permanent, the agency sent her a proposed removal notice for a variety of charges. She went to federal court after losing before the MSPB.

Wilsons’ Lawsuit Against Cheney, Libby and Others Dismissed By Court

One fallout from the notorious “outing” of Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative was a high-profile lawsuit brought by the Wilsons against “Scooter” Libbey, Vice President Cheney, and other Executive Branch officials in their personal capacity. The Wilsons wanted money damages to be paid by these officials personally for their alleged violations of the Wilsons’ First and Fifth Amendments rights under the Constitution. A federal district court has now dismissed the Wilsons’ case.

One Too Many Appeals

An employee of the Federal Aviation Administration who was subject to a reduction in force (RIF) filed an appeal with the MSPB. But he had already joined a class action lawsuit so the MSPB dismissed his appeal but his name was also withdrawn from the class action lawsuit as a result of a motion from his attorney. Left out despite the numerous initial options, he went to federal court to try for a more favorable outcome.