Ali
Ali v. L.A. Focus Publication
Opinion
Opinion
Perluss, J.
Najee Ali appeals the judgment entered after the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of defendant L.A. Focus Publication (L.A. Focus) and Jheryl Busby in Ali’s action for wrongful termination and related employment claims. Because triable issues of fact exist as to whether Ali was an employee of L.A. Focus and whether his employment was terminated for engaging in protected political speech outside the workplace, we reverse the judgment with respect to Ali’s claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy against L.A. Focus. In all other respects, we affirm.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
1. The Parties and the Complaint
L.A. Focus is a monthly newspaper published in Los Angeles; Busby is part owner of L.A. Focus. Ali, the founder and director of a nonprofit organization called Project Islamic Hope, was hired by L.A. Focus’s publisher, Lisa Coffins, in January 2000 to be the newspaper’s community affairs editor. Later he was given the title “community affairs columnist.”
On June 2, 2001, while a guest on a local radio show, Ali voiced his personal support for Antonio Villaraigosa, a candidate in the June 2001 Los Angeles mayoral election, and…