Military Board Says Marine Who Criticized President Obama Should Be Dismissed [View all]

[Cooley Hurd]

Source: NYT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) — A Marine who criticized President Barack Obama on his Facebook page has committed misconduct and should be dismissed, a military board recommended late Thursday.

The Marine Corps administrative board made the decision after a daylong hearing at Camp Pendleton for Sgt. Gary Stein.

The board also recommended that Stein be given an other-then-honorable discharge. That would mean Stein would lose his benefits and would not be allowed on any military base.

The board's recommendations go to a general who will either accept or deny them. If the general disagrees with the board, the case could go to the secretary of the Navy.

Stein's lawyers argued that the 9-year Marine, whose service was to end in four months, was expressing his personal views and exercising his First Amendment rights.

"We're truly surprised and disappointed but it was an honor to fight for a hero like Sgt. Stein and every other Marine's right to speak freely," Stein's defense attorney Marine Capt. Jame Baehr said."
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Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/04/06/business/ap-us-marine-free-speech.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto