WASHINGTON — A year to the day after Shirley Sherrod (shuh-RAHD') was ousted from the Agriculture Department, the former government employee is still seeking vindication.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack ordered Sherrod's resignation from her job as a Georgia rural development official on July 19 of last year after learning about a video of Sherrod making supposedly racist remarks. The U.S. District Court on Tuesday will hold the first hearing in Sherrod's defamation case against the conservative blogger who posted the video.

The video on Andrew Breitbart's website turned out to be edited, and it became clear that Sherrod's remarks were an attempt to tell a story of racial reconciliation. Sherrod is now suing Breitbart, his employee and an unnamed defendant for defamation and emotional distress.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.