You miss the point of the 1st amendment entirely. ANY boss may fire those that they feel are not helping "get the job done" as much as some random, unknown replacement worker may. A gov't job, like a private job, need not (and should not) be a "job for life". You work at the pleasure of the boss. You certainly have no right to try to elect a new boss (fire him?) that he does not have to replace you. It is insane to assert that employees that don't like the boss, especially when that can be easily proven, are as likely to cooperate and work as hard as they can to please that boss. Note the massive turnover in the federal SES workforce after each election, especially when the party in power changes. You have the right ro say anything you want to, but no right to expect no consequences from that speach. Had the sheriff arrested, or otherwise harrassed them, then THAT would be a free speach issue, but not merely firing them becuase he did not like them, their work habits or their "likes".