Leavenworth County deputy fired for backing sheriff’s political opponent, lawsuit alleges
A former Leavenworth County sheriff’s deputy claims in a federal lawsuit that he was fired from his job for supporting Sheriff Andrew Dedeke’s political opponent during the last election.
John McEvoy Sr., of Leavenworth, is suing the agency and Dedeke in the U.S. District of Kansas. McEvoy alleges he was retaliated against for practicing free speech protected by the First Amendment.
During his time at the sheriff’s office, McEvoy says he performed his job well and developed an “amicable professional relationship” with Dedeke. But after it became known that McEvoy was supporting his opponent, Dedeke allegedly turned “cold” and began ignoring McEvoy at work.
Dedeke said Thursday that he had not yet been served with the lawsuit and declined to comment.
McEvoy contends a rift in their relationship began around the spring of 2020 when Dedeke, a Republican, was running for reelection. McEvoy decided to back Kent Leintz, a Democrat and former sheriff’s deputy.
McEvoy tried to help Leintz get elected by passing out yard signs, recommending him to other voters and attending his campaign events. The display of support was reserved to McEvoy’s off-duty hours, the lawsuit claims.
During the course of the campaign season, the lawsuit claims that Dedeke sought to “unearth Leintz supporters” within the sheriff’s department.
For example, McEvoy contends Dedeke’s children attended one of Leintz’s campaign event where they took photographs of supporters and the license plates of their vehicles. McEvoy says he and Dedeke’s daughter saw one another in passing that day.
McEvoy also says his and Dedeke’s children attended the same school at the time. During one school event, McEvoy sat near Dedeke while wearing a Leintz campaign hat, according to the lawsuit, which contends Dedeke was well aware that McEvoy was supporting Leintz.
On Nov. 3, 2020, Dedeke easily won reelection with 57% of the vote. The lawsuit claims that it was “well known among Sheriff’s Office employees that Sheriff Dedeke planned to terminate an employee who supported Leintz to ‘make an example’ for other employees who might support another candidate in the future.”
Roughly two weeks later, McEvoy received a verbal reprimand about his performance meant “to obscure that Sheriff Dedeke truly reprimanded McEvoy for exercising his right to support Sheriff Dedeke’s opponent,” the lawsuit claims.
Others within the sheriff’s department supported Dedeke’s opponent. The lawsuit says they too faced reprimands, including forced reassignment to undesirable job duties.
McEvoy was fired in February 2021.
McEvoy is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with the lawsuit. His lawyers have demanded a jury trial.
