Mealey's (January 20, 2016, 12:35 PM EST) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public employees, whether affiliated with a specific party or not, have a right to job protection for perceived political association, the attorney representing a demoted police detective argued Jan. 19 before the U.S. Supreme Court (Jeffrey J. Heffernan v. City of Paterson, New Jersey, et al., No. 14-1280, U.S. Sup.).

(Oral arguments transcript available. Document #73-160212-001T.)

“[A]s a public employee, he has a right to either associate or nonassociate, and he doesn’t have to commit an affirmative act in support, in this case,...