Matthew Donahue v. Village of Elm Grove Fire Department — 7th Cir. (Nov 3, 2026)
The Seventh Circuit hears Donahue versus the Village of Elm Grove Fire Department. Matthew Donahue was a firefighter in the Wisconsin village. A personal dispute with his church led to police questioning. Donahue complained that officers had lied to him and mishandled his efforts to make complaints. The village manager referred the matter to the fire department for an investigation of Donahue's conduct. Donahue ultimately lost his position. In his federal lawsuit, he alleges that officials retaliated against him for speaking out. Those allegations are disputed. This appeal focuses on the First Amendment protection for a public employee's speech. Donahue will argue that complaints about police misconduct can raise a matter of public concern even when the speaker is personally involved. The defendants will characterize his complaints as a private grievance growing out of the church dispute. Listen for where the judges draw that line: when is a complaint about how police treated one person also a concern for the wider community?
Matthew Donahue v. Village of Elm Grove Fire Department (No. 26-1463) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, argued November 3, 2026.
- 0:00Introduction