Pro-Trump Professor Sues University for Wrongful Termination

A pro-Trump professor sued New Mexico State University Friday after the school fired him when he refused to return to work after the school rescinded his leave of absence.

Former NMSU business law professor Gavin Clarkson sued the school for wrongful termination, defamation, denial of due process, breach of contract, production of a hostile work environment and discrimination because of his conservative politics, according to a press release obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

“Without the basic due process rights that are the cornerstone of western civilization, it’s really just a kangaroo court,” Clarkson said. “While litigation should never be the first option, it’s the only way forward at this point to make sure justice is done in this situation, which is a transparent political hit job.”

NMSU granted the former professor a leave of absence in June 2017 when Clarkson told NMSU he had accepted an appointment as deputy assistant secretary for policy and economic affairs at the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. In its letter granting the leave, NMSU does not explicitly state that the leave hinged upon the professor’s employment at the Department of the Interior.

Clarkson stepped down from his deputy assistant secretary post in December 2017 to pursue a seat in New Mexico’s Congressional District No. 2. The former professor announced his candidacy on Jan. 8, 2018. On Jan. 12, the school ordered him to return to teaching Jan. 16. (Read more from “Pro-Trump Professor Sues University for Wrongful Termination” HERE)

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