A newspaper editor who was fired after making homophobic statements is now suing the paper, claiming that he was a victim of religious discrimination.
Former Newton Daily News editor Bob Eschliman dumped from his job after a blog post he wrote which criticized what he called "the LGBTQXYZ crowd and the Gaystapo" for trying "to reword the Bible to make their sinful nature 'right with God.'" Jim Romenesko first reported on the blog in April.
Eschliman was later suspended with pay, and the newspaper's owner eventually terminated his employment, the Des Moines Register reported.
Eschliman's response to all this? A claim that he was the true victim.
On Wednesday, he filed a complaint charging the Newton Daily News and its owner, Shaw Media, Inc. with "religious discrimination and retaliation."
"No one should be fired for simply expressing his religious beliefs," Eschliman's attorney said. "In America, it is against the law to fire an employee for expressing a religious belief in public. This kind of religious intolerance by an employer has no place in today's welcoming workforce."
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Eschliman was suspended without pay before being fired. He was suspended with pay.