A federal judge ruled Thursday that Steven Salaita's employment lawsuit against the University of Illinois can proceed, rejecting the UI's motion to dismiss the case.

In a written ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Harry D. Leinenweber rejected the UI's major claim — that it never had an employment contract with Salaita.

"If the Court accepted the University's argument, the entire American academic hiring process as it now operates would cease to exist," the judge wrote.

The court also rejected the university's attempt to dismiss Salaita's First Amendment claims, finding that his tweets "implicate every 'central concern' of the First Amendment." ...

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