Cintron-Arbolay v. Cordero-Lopez

716 F. Supp. 2d 163, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44169, 2010 WL 1838086
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedMay 5, 2010
DocketCivil No. 10-1067 (GAG)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 716 F. Supp. 2d 163 (Cintron-Arbolay v. Cordero-Lopez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cintron-Arbolay v. Cordero-Lopez, 716 F. Supp. 2d 163, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44169, 2010 WL 1838086 (prd 2010).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

GUSTAVO A. GELPÍ, District Judge.

Plaintiff Juan Francisco Cintron-Arbolay (“Cintron” or “Plaintiff’) brought this action against the Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (“PREPA”), PREPA’s Executive Director, Eng. Miguel A. Cordero-Lopez (“Cordero”), and the Regional Administrator of Technical Operations for the Ponce Region of PREPA, Edgardo Rivera-Alvarado (“Rivera”) (collectively “Defendants”), seeking redress for the alleged violation of his First Amendment rights under the Constitution of the United States and Article II of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Plaintiff claims that the defendants stripped him of his functions because of his political affiliation and retaliated against him for filing the instant suit. He brings this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (“Section 1983”), and also alleges supplemental causes of action under the laws of Puerto Rico.

Presently before the court is Defendants’ motion to dismiss (Docket No. 17), which was timely opposed by Plaintiffs (Docket No. 18). For the reasons stated herein, the court GRANTS in part and DENIES in part Defendants’ motion to dismiss (Docket No. 17).

I. Standard of Review

Under Rule 12(b)(6), a defendant may move to dismiss an action against him for [166]*166failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). When considering a motion to dismiss, the court must decide whether the complaint alleges enough facts to “raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” See Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1965, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). In so doing, the court accepts as true all well-pleaded facts and draws all reasonable inferences in the plaintiffs favor. Parker v. Hurley, 514 F.3d 87, 90 (1st Cir.2008). However, “the tenet that a court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint is inapplicable to legal conclusions.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, — U.S. -, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955). “[W]here the well-pleaded facts do not permit the court to infer more than the mere possibility of misconduct, the complaint has alleged— but it has not ‘showfn]’—‘that the pleader is entitled to relief.’ ” Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1950 (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2)).

In sum, when passing on a motion to dismiss the court must follow two principles: (1) legal conclusions masquerading as factual allegations are not entitled to the presumption of truth; and (2) plausibility analysis is a context-specific task that requires courts to use their judicial experience and common sense. Id. at 1949-50 (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555-56, 127 S.Ct. 1955). In applying these principles, courts may first separate out merely conclusory pleadings, and then focus upon the remaining well-pleaded factual allegations to determine if they plausibly give rise to an entitlement to relief. Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1950.

II. Discussion

A. Adverse Employment Action

The First Amendment right to freedom of speech protects non-polieymaking public employees from adverse employment decisions based on political affiliation. See Padillas-Garcia v. Guillermo Rodriguez, 212 F.3d 69, 74 (1st Cir.2000); see also Rutan v. Republican Party of III., 497 U.S. 62, 75-76, 110 S.Ct. 2729, 111 L.Ed.2d 52 (1990); Branti v. Finkel, 445 U.S. 507, 516, 100 S.Ct. 1287, 63 L.Ed.2d 574 (1980); Elrod v. Burns, 427 U.S. 347, 354, 96 S.Ct. 2673, 49 L.Ed.2d 547 (1976). In order to establish a claim of political discrimination, a plaintiff initially bears the burden of showing that he or she engaged in constitutionally protected conduct and that political affiliation was a substantial or motivating factor behind the challenged employment action. Gonzalez-de-Blasini v. Family Dept. 377 F.3d 81, 85 (1st Cir.2004) (citing Mount Healthy City Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ. v. Doyle, 429 U.S. 274, 287, 97 S.Ct. 568, 50 L.Ed.2d 471 (1977)); (Cosme-Rosado v. Serrano-Rodriguez, 360 F.3d 42, 47 (1st Cir.2004)). To establish a prima facie case, the plaintiff must show, or (for the purposes of Rule 8(a)(2)) properly plead, that (1) the plaintiff and the defendant belong to opposing political affiliations, (2) the defendant has knowledge of the plaintiffs affiliation, (3) a challenged employment action occurred, and (4) political affiliation was a substantial or motivating factor behind the challenged employment action. Martinez-Velez v. Rey-Hernandez, 506 F.3d 32, 39 (1st Cir.2007) (citing Peguero-Moronta v. Santiago, 464 F.3d 29, 48 (1st Cir.2006) (quoting Gonzalez-de-Blasini, 377 F.3d at 85-86)).

Defendants argue in their motion to dismiss that Plaintiffs allegations fail to meet the third element of a prima facie case of political discrimination: that a challenged [167]*167employment action occurred. In other words, that the actions allegedly taken against Plaintiff do not constitute adverse employment actions.

Under the standard set forth in Agosto-de-Feliciano v. Aponte-Roque, 889 F.2d 1209 (1st Cir.1989), the court must “determine whether the new work conditions would place substantial pressure on even one of thick skin to conform to the prevailing political view. This level of burden is reached ... when the employer’s challenged actions result in a work situation ‘unreasonably inferior’ to the norm for the position.” Id. at 1218. To determine whether such a reduction has occurred, “the factfinder should canvass the specific ways in which the plaintiffs job has changed.” Id. “[T]he factfinder’s responsibility, in brief, is to determine whether the employee has retained duties, perquisites and a working environment appropriate for his or her rank and title.” Id. at 1220.

Here, Plaintiff alleges that before the general elections of 2008, some of his coworkers who were affiliated with the opposing political party (the New Progressive Party, or “NPP”)1 publicly expressed that if they won the elections the plaintiff would be relegated to what they called “la cobacha” (small shack or hovel).

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Bluebook (online)
716 F. Supp. 2d 163, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44169, 2010 WL 1838086, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cintron-arbolay-v-cordero-lopez-prd-2010.