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A city building inspector discovered that several new apartment buildings had passed inspection despite serious fire-code violations. As part of her job, she wrote an internal memo to her supervisor recommending that certificates of occupancy be revoked. The supervisor told her to "stop making the department look bad." Two weeks later, on her own time, the inspector spoke at a city council meeting and said that city officials were ignoring fire hazards in low-income housing. She also posted on a private social-media account that her supervisor was "a terrible manager who gives the worst assignments."
The city demoted the inspector, citing disruption in the department and breach of loyalty. The inspector sues, alleging First Amendment retaliation.
Analyze the inspector's First Amendment claims based on the internal memo, city council remarks, and social-media post.