Clarification on the Subject: line -- the court's ruling, at least as described below, applies only to government employees. It is the state-as-employer, not the state-as-sovereign, role the court is discussing. In other words, we're still free to lie, cheat, and steal[1]. -Declan [1] Unless it's a copyrighted work; if it is, you'll go to federal prison and be fined a quarter-mil. Thanks, Bill Gates and the Software Publishers Association. At 14:40 -0600 1/21/98, Jim Choate wrote:

Forwarded message:

...

SUPREME COURT: GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CAN PUNISH WORKERS WHO LIE

January 21, 1998 Web posted at: 2:53 p.m. EST (1953 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Government agencies can punish employees who lie while being investigated for employment-related misconduct, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday.

The court overturned rulings in five separate cases that had barred federal agencies from stiffening the disciplinary action taken against wayward employees based on false statements they made when questioned about their misconduct.

Although the decision dealt with federal employees, its rationale appeared to affect state and local government employees as well. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote for the court that nothing in the Constitution nor any federal law bars such punishment.

"A citizen may decline to answer the question, or answer it honestly, but he cannot with impunity knowingly and willfully answer with a falsehood," Rehnquist said.

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