Forced loyalty claims survive

SPOKANE, Wash. — A federal judge ruled that Chelan County deputies plausibly alleged a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress in their complaint alleging that they were forced by two sheriff candidates to declare their allegiance during the election and were later demoted after the sheriff they did not support was elected. The deputies sufficiently alleged that using law enforcement officers for personal political gain could constitute “extreme and outrageous” conduct. However, the judge deferred deciding whether to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state-law claim.