The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals rejected former Gov. Ruth Ann Minner’s claim that she was entitled to immunity from the suit as an elected official. A federal judge had refused to dismiss a 2006 lawsuit filed against Minner by Trooper Timothy Shockley. Shockley claimed that he was improperly denied a promotion and barred from becoming head of Minner’s security unit in 2003 because of his gender. Shockley claims Minner refused to let him lead her executive protection unit because she wanted a less-qualified female trooper to lead the team.
Minner was trying to have the case tossed before going to trial on the grounds that she has sovereign immunity. She loses that argument. Now the case goes back down to the U.S. District Court in Wilmington for trial.
There are plenty of reasons to strongly dislike our former Governor, but I am finding myself taking her side on this one. Here is why: anyone remember back to late 1992 and early 1993? President-elect Bill Clinton had won the presidential election and during the transition process he declared that he was going to nominate the first female Attorney General. He went through three nominees, two of which had to withdraw because they didn’t pay taxes on their nannies, before we finally got Janet Reno. But at no point during the process did Clinton consider a man. Clinton was not sued for sexual discrimination, because it was the President’s prerogative to hire who he wanted. If the female Attorney General turned out to be less qualified or incompetent, it would be Clinton’s ass on the line.
So explain to me how it is not Minner’s prerogative to hire whom she wanted to head her executive protection unit?