Connell

MEMORANDUM *

Cathreen Connell brought this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988 and state law against her employer, the Department of Adult and Community Justice (“Department”) of Multnomah County, and the head of the Department, Elyse Clawson. Connell alleged that defendants violated her due process rights when Clawson terminated her employment, and that defendants retaliated against her in violation of the First Amendment for speaking out against discriminatory hiring and promotional practices and for making complaints of gender discrimination. The district court granted summary judgment to defendants, and Connell appeals. Upon de novo review, we affirm.

Prior to her termination, according to Connell, one of her subordinates, Tom Grinnell, had verbally abused her to such an extent that she feared he might physically attack her. At about the same time, Grinnell had filed an administrative complaint against the Department on the grounds of gender discrimination. Claw-son, as head of the Department, decided to settle Grinnell’s complaint. As part of the settlement, Grinnell and Connell were to both sign an “Agreement of Cooperation” (“Agreement”) that provided that the two would…