Chief Who Was Fired for Marriage Views Wins Major First Amendment Victory
In a major victory for free speech, the city of Atlanta has awarded former Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran with $1.2 million after violating his First Amendment rights.
Cochran was a highly decorated firefighter who served as the U.S. fire administrator after President Barack Obama hand-picked him for the job. In 2010, he agreed to return to his former position as fire chief of Atlanta at the invitation of Mayor Kasim Reed.
In 2012, he received the “Fire Chief of the Year” award for “pioneering efforts to improve performance and service within the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department.”
But his career came to an abrupt halt in 2015 when Reed suspended him without pay for 30 days and ultimately fired him.
The reason? Cochran’s beliefs about marriage.
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