Former Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell seen above stalking UofM student body president Chris Armstrong. BTL file photo
As if a $4.5 million civil judgment hanging over his head wasn't bad enough, Andrew Shirvell, the disgraced former assistant Attorney General fired by former Attorney General Mike Cox, was told by the Michigan Court of Appeals that he was fired for cause, thus preventing him from collecting unemployment benefits.
"To summarize, we conclude that Shirvell's speech was not protected under the First Amendment for purposes of these proceedings. Although Shirvell may have spoken as a private citizen on a matter of public concern, the Department introduced evidence at both proceedings to show that its interests in the efficient provision of governmental services outweighed Shirvell's speech interests," the three judge panel wrote in a unanimous decision published on Jan. 8. The decision is 33 pages long and details Shirvell's behavior in stalking former University of Michigan student body president, Chris Armstrong. The court ordered he not receive unemployment benefits, overturning a lower court decision by Judge Joyce Dragunchuk of the Ingham County Circuit Court.
