The city of Pensacola has motioned to dismiss a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former city fire chief.
In late 2016, Joseph Glover filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the mayor alleging he was investigated, suspended and fired in retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint.
In a filing last week, attorneys for the city called for a summary judgement in their favor. They argued that regardless of the reason Glover was placed under investigation, his termination was justified because an investigator "found that Glover engaged in wrongdoing." According to Mayor Ashton Hayward, in May 2016 he made the decision to fire Glover — then the deputy fire chief — and Interim Fire Chief Matthew Schmitt based on an investigation and report by attorney Russell Van Sickle that said the chiefs were mismanaging the department.