Sames, Roger Troccola, Dennis, in No. 84-1020 v. Gable, Carson S. Daddona, Joseph S. City of Allentown, in No. 84-1028

OPINION OF THE COURT

JAMES) HUNTER, III, Circuit Judge;

Plaintiffs Roger Sames and Dennis Troceóla (“plaintiffs”) are currently patrolmen on the Allentown, Pennsylvania police department. They commenced this civil rights action on March 18, 1982 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that they were unlawfully demoted from their prior rank of sergeant. According to plaintiffs, their demotions were politically motivated, in violation of plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights of political association, and were accomplished without affording plaintiffs…