Judge declines to halt Pentagon's firings of Stars and Stripes reporters over CBS interview

A federal judge refused to block the Pentagon from firing Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte after they gave a CBS News interview, finding they were acting as public employees and that their terminations for pre-approved interviews did not clearly violate the First Amendment. The ruling leaves the lawsuit alive and ongoing, with discovery ahead; the case also touches on allegations of editorial independence and staff changes at the Pentagon-funded outlet, including a deputy publisher appointment without Lederer’s knowledge.