Faith

‘Simply Un-American’: CAIR-Led Lawsuit Claims Cop Was Fired After Converting to Islam

A former police officer in Norton, Ohio, is alleging discrimination and claiming that he was fired from his job soon after converting to Islam. Nicholas A. Matheny has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Norton, numerous staffers with the local police department and City Administrator Richard Ryland.

The lawsuit claims that officials violated federal and state discrimination law, citing retaliation, a hostile work environment and conspiracy, according to a press release published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Matheny’s representation is hinging its argument upon the fact that it is illegal, concerning both state and federal laws, to make employment decisions based on religion or as retribution for an employee’s complaints about alleged discrimination.

CAIR Led Lawsuit Claims Nicholas A. Matheny Fired After Islam Conversion

“Matheny’s lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and damages and demands a jury trial,” reports WKYC-TV. “It was filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland and has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko.”

In 2004, the officer was first hired by the Norton Police Department. Aside from a brief move to Nevada in 2008, he served on the force until 2010, at which point he was terminated. According to the CAIR release, Matheny was said to be an “excellent patrolman for the City” in a memo that was issued prior to his 2008 move. CAIR also claims that he was well-liked and had consistently-good performance reviews.

Problems apparently started, though in 2010, when he became a Muslim. Initially, he kept the conversion to himself and only told close friends. He was worried about the backlash he might receive, as he contends that there is anti-Islam sentiment within the department. It wasn’t until September 2010, when he handed out wedding invitations, that officers found out about his new-found faith.

After seeing the line, “May Allah Bless This Marriage,” Matheny claims that one of the officers responded by launching into an anti-Islamic rant. At this point, Matheny — at least according to CAIR — “passionately objected.” There are no details in the release regarding what words or actions he took during the dialogue (or if those words and actions played a role in his dismissal).

However, it was this event and the invitation that allegedly led the rest of the department to find out about his Islamic faith. It was from that point on that Matheny says he was treated differently. Among the actions taken, he claims that a nomination he had been given for a performance reward with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) was revoked (purportedly due to his faith).

Here’s more, according to the press release:

Before Officer Matheny became a Muslim, he had no disciplinary write-ups in his personnel file. But once his conversion became common knowledge, his performance was suddenly seen as lacking. False and backdated write-ups were placed in Matheny’s personnel file, which were meant to create the impression that Matheny was terminated for cause, when in fact he was terminated because of his religious conversion.

Just as Officer Matheny was ending his final shift before his wedding, Chief Hete told Matheny that he would be fired. Matheny and his wife spent their honeymoon distressed over the job threat. When Matheny returned to work, Chief Hete and Administrator Ryland tried to convince Matheny to quit his job. They threatened to place backdated “warnings” in Matheny’s personnel file if he did not leave quietly. Matheny was told that if he agreed to their demands, the “warnings” would be torn up and they would give him a good reference for future employment. Matheny refused to accede to these demands and was fired.

CAIR is representing Matheny in collaboration with two lawyers from the Chandra Law Firm, LLC in Cleveland.

“It is simply un-American for a public employer to fire someone because of his religion,” claims Subodh Chandra, one of the lawyers representing the former cop.

Comments (53)

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  • NoBama Mama
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 8:16am

    I’m so sick and tired of the crybaby Muslims moaning and groaning about being discriminated against! If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!! Go live in the middle east where you really belong and take the Muslim Brotherhood with you! Don’t let the door smack you where Allah (and I’m assuming his last name is Akhbar) cracked you!!

    Report Post »  
  • Ted Zeppelin
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 8:12am

    There is nothing in America more Un-American than Islam.

    Report Post »  
  • cemerius
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 7:45am

    During my 20 years of Honest and Faithful service to our country and all the enemeies I fought against had one thing in common…..their cult called islam!!!

    Report Post » cemerius  
  • Jerry Frey
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 1:23am

    It is simply un-American to be Muslim.

    Report Post »  
  • g.prunty
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 10:51pm

    always got to play the race card i say bu l l

    Report Post »  
  • garbagecanlogic
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:32pm

    I seriously doubt that was the reason, however, if it was -GREAT! Who cairs, I don’t cair, do you cair?

    Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

    The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
    The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

    Report Post »  
  • Auntie izlam
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:00pm

    Islam is at war with the West and all non-muslims. No muslim should be employed in any government, law enforcement or security positions. That is the first rule of protection when war has been initiated. Intelligent people do nut trust their enemies.

    Report Post »  
    • KICKILLEGALSOUT
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:33pm

      I agree, no Muhammedan should be allowed in a position of law enforcement. What will happen is that the town will end up like Dearbornistan where these barbarians can go around and do whatever they want and attack Americans and nothing is done to protect them. The American people need to start finding ways to stealth retaliate against these radical groups.

      Report Post » KICKILLEGALSOUT  
  • BeingThere
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 8:56pm

    Cair and Islam are un-American!!!!!!

    Report Post » BeingThere  
  • normalmom
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 8:05pm

    I find the thought of a muslim working as a cop unnerving. The belief system is adamant about those who don’t believe the “infidels”, so I don’t know if I could trust someone in that position.

    Report Post »  
    • docgreen
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 8:21pm

      Dont you take an ethical oath to join a force? How can he take an oath and yet know that islam will rule over it when the choice has to be made? Just like all these muslims in the military. If this clown had to arrest a muslim and or go undercover agains a muslim group, do you think he’d be able to do the job? I don’t believe he would, just the oppisite! People their using our Laws and Constitution against everything we stand for! If all else fails and cair pushes this, I think the American people need to stand up and tell them the Day they treat Christians Well is the day America will treat muslims the same way. Enough of this BullSh_t about Americans dfoing everything in the World wrong and yet they come here and they do just the oppisite, along with this when Christians are in muslim countries they’re treated as third class citizens! Enough of this BS!………………………..

      Report Post »  
    • docgreen
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 8:30pm

      The other thing, when he converted to islam he made that choice, thats his choice. The Chief of Police has to watch out for the Community. What would happen if this bozo needed backup? How many brothers would go to back him up? If you ask me theres more to it. So when nobody backs him up right away he’s putting himself and or others into bad situations thats like going to get someone killed. Like I said earlier, he would not stand for the Constitution when it came to the Constitution or the koran. He would choose the Koran. And people are not treated the same in the Koran, especially when it comes to non muslims. Thats the Same thing were running into in the militaryy!….!

      Report Post »  
    • momrules
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 8:58pm

      Doc Green……….You are correct. The Muslims are using our Constitution and laws against us and the Koran trumps everything Islam. C.A.I.R knows how to use us to make their take over of America an inside job. We are being defeated in the courts.

      Report Post »  
  • Rayblue
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:35pm

    Perhaps he wants to wear that stupid style beard that muslims can’t live without.
    There’s a restriction on beards in the department if I remember correctly.
    Then one thing leads to another and so on. Next he’ll wear a bedsheet with a badge on it or have an islamic yodel instead of a siren on his vehicle.

    Report Post » Rayblue  
    • antitheist
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:53pm

      Are you angry that Muslims do a better job in following their own faith that Christians?

      Leviticus 19 27
      “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.”

      Report Post » antitheist  
    • Rayblue
      Posted on July 3, 2012 at 12:14am

      Exalting those who do the immense service of not cutting their chin hair
      is not the brightest point to make.

      Their beards are ugly and their noxious visage is distasteful even to the flies of the desert.
      They are the angry ones. They are the sowers of discontent and discord. And they will become waste in the wasteland. Ground into dust and swept by the sirocco into everlasting nothingness.

      So there.

      Report Post » Rayblue  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:33pm

    I get the feeling that Nicholas A. Matheny was fired for the manner in which he conducted himself AFTER he converted to Islam, and not the fact that he converted.

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • hi
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:05pm

      Yes. He probably demanded to have 5 breaks to pray and tried to force his employer to give him other special treatment.

      Report Post » hi  
  • 65Mustang
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:31pm

    I don’t think a Muslim should be serving in any law or legal position in this country. They will not attack us again like 9/11, they are coming in the back door…inside the legal profession. Most people are too stupid to see this happening.

    Report Post »  
  • BryanB
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:30pm

    There is something very wrong with this story.

    In Ohio a Chief of Police can’t fire a full-time Police Officer, only the Civil Service Commission can Terminate an employment position like this, and it can take years to fire a Civil Service employee.
    And there is also a Civil Service Appeals Process……..

    Report Post » BryanB  
  • momrules
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:13pm

    I would love to have more to go on that the word of a Muslim or the terrorist organization C.A.I.R.

    I would never believe a charge of racism from General Taco of the New Black Panther Party either.

    Report Post »  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:09pm

    Unless the Dept. has proof of any wrong doing by this gentleman they have no right to fire him. Without blind Justice Freedom can/will not survive. After all, this is why Lady Justice wears a blindfold.

    Report Post »  
  • Tri-ox
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:09pm

    There is nothing more un-American than being a member of the death-cult of islam (aka, a sworn enemy of the United States). We will never forget, we will never forgive.

    Report Post » Tri-ox  
    • Mobuy
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:32pm

      Yes. Let’s fire, discriminate against, and generally harass every Muslim. That sounds so Christian. So American. So logical. “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak up because I was not a Socialist…”

      Report Post »  
    • jman-6
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:37pm

      We never will forget but we must forgive or we will not be forgiven.

      Report Post »  
    • Rayblue
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:19pm

      I’m with you tri-ox.
      While others will say I’m unforgiven ? That’s not for them to decide.

      Report Post » Rayblue  
  • frogg
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:05pm

    All I need to know about Islam I learned on 9-11-2001! This is a JudioChristian Nation that allows any one to worship any way they choose! So Worship your God the way you choose and SHUT-THE-F***-UP!

    Report Post » frogg  
  • Mutiny
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:55pm

    As much as I despise the Muslim faith, if it is true he was fired for that he should sue and get his job back.

    Report Post » Mutiny  
  • MasterJoshua7
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:53pm

    I don’t like CAIR. But if there is any truth to this guy’s story, I hope he wins the case because (unless he plans kill someone for his new found islamism), he shouldn’t get fired or osthrecized just for being muslim.

    Report Post » MasterJoshua7  
    • hayesstephen
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:39pm

      Theres much more to the story than what we’ve been given. Probably after converting he became an arrogant and difficult to work with. Wait until the whole story comes out and you‘ll find I’m on to something.

      Report Post »  
    • Elena2010
      Posted on July 2, 2012 at 8:23pm

      Agreed. If the firing is as the officer presents, he should be compensated. I‘m sure he’s not going to want to work there again.

      Let the facts come out before passing judgment. Fair is fair. And, no, I am no shill for islam, but I am American.

      Report Post » Elena2010  
    • ADAM_BRAVO
      Posted on July 3, 2012 at 10:02am

      Yes there is truth to this story, and the city has left him no other option but to file this lawsuit. The city has been running employees out for years, and this is the first employee that had the guts to stand up to them.

      Report Post »  
  • DexterAmericus
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:44pm

    “It is simply un-American for a public employer to fire someone because of his religion,” …but VERY Islamic

    Report Post »  
  • Angel_light
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:42pm

    Why on earth would anyone convert to that CULT anyway? What are you really tryng to prove? If you can‘t beat ’em join ‘em? absolutely not. I would never fold under something so hatefilled in the first place. I can’t for the life of me understand why people would convert to Islam

    Report Post » Angel_light  
  • randy
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:39pm

    Fu c.A.I.R.

    Report Post » randy  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:38pm

    Let me see here….
    YES, converting to islyme IS UN AMERICAN.
    You want to worship your non-god, feel free—-in your own country, not ours.
    A policeman in the USA who serves a god of the people who want to destroy us is UN AMERICAN.
    You got it, cair. you and everything you stand for are UN AMERICAN.
    Feel free to leave. a.s.a.p.

    Report Post »  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:38pm

    he will get his job back the courts love muslims

    Report Post »  
  • I.Heart.America
    Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:33pm

    Hamas is the founder of CAIR….WHAT is un-American???…..CAIR

    http://www.anti-cair-net.org/

    Report Post » I.Heart.America  
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