[greymule]

The more I think about the way you have been treated, the more I think you should retain a lawyer yourself. You were told you should have lied; they have sanctioned you and will not revoke the sanction even if it turns out you were entirely correct in your ruling; they are destroying your career for making an intelligent, good-faith judgment that is supported by casebook ruling; they have made an a priori decision on your call without seeking a ruling from an easily consulted final authority.

When these commissars are looking down the barrel of a lawsuit, they may have second thoughts.

How can they have such a blanket (Draconian) policy concerning upheld protests? Is every upheld protest proof of an umpire's incompetence? If there's gross negligence involved--rules that every umpire should know or plays that are specifically in the casebook--that's one thing. But a play like yours where the only casebook ruling SUPPORTS you, where at the very least a strong argument can be made for your call, that's just plain crazy.

People are asking what state this all occurred in, but it's obvious it's the state of Alice's Wonderland: Decision first, facts later.