The State - News from July 25, 1985

A contempt of court and race discrimination ruling against the Air Force has been reversed by a federal appeals court in the case of a civilian worker reassigned in a staff cutback at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned “all aspects” of the ruling by U.S. District Judge Andrew A. Hauk. It included damages and a $2,000 per day contempt fine against the Air Force for six weeks. Lowene R. Clemente, a computer operator at Vandenberg, charged the Air Force with job discrimination, reverse race discrimination because she is white and, later, retaliation for making the claims. She complained of discrimination to the Federal Employee Appeals Authority in 1977 after she was reassigned in an Air Force “reduction in force” program.