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Judge Tosses Professor’s Suit Against Union Backing Liberals

Judge Tosses Professor’s Suit Against Union Backing Liberals

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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit lodged by a non-union Maine professor who objected to the faculty union sending dues money to support liberal causes.

The Bangor Daily News reports U.S. District Judge Jon Levy said 62-year-old Jonathan Reisman is free to speak out against the union’s opposition of Republican Gov. Paul LePage and its support of Democratic causes and candidates like Democrat Hillary Clinton.

A recent Supreme Court decision scrapped a 1977 decision allowing states to require non-union public employees to pay union fees. Justices deemed it unconstitutional to compel workers to support unions whose actions they might disagree.

But Judge Levy said Monday that case didn’t apply because the union representing Maine university system employees was democratically elected.

Reisman’s attorney said Tuesday his client plans to appeal.

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