CA1: partial reversal in political discrimination case

Reyes-Canada v. Hernandez, No. 06-1409.  Oh, what a surprise, a political discrimination case from Puerto Rico.  The plaintiffs largely prevailed after two trials (the second one including minitrials).  The District Court ordered the plaintiffs reinstated and that they would not be adversely treated based on their political affiliation.  The First reverses the parts of the verdict with regard to some plaintiffs, holding that no evidence was put forward of political animus and, in examining the record, the First says that the plaintiffs didn’t actually present evidence of some of their allegations (i.e. selective roll calls).  The First concludes that “Allowing a judgment to rest on this collection of complaints would ‘trivialize the First Amendment.’” But as to claims made by lawyers, the First says that while the defendants gave coherent reasons for doing what they did to the plaintiff-lawyers, the jury was free to disregard them.   The First also lectures a plaintiff on how to make a sufficiency and qualified argument, and how they did not.  The First also remands an attorneys fees decision based on the partial reversal.