Martina Stewart

AC360° Digital Producer

(CNN) - Michigan's top lawyer is standing his ground - and fleshing out his legal position - when it comes to the controversial off-hours online behavior of one of his employees.

For months, Assistant Michigan Attorney General Andrew Shirvell has published "Chris Armstrong Watch," a personal blog that seeks to spotlight the comings-and-goings of Chris Armstrong, the first openly gay president of the University of Michigan student assembly.

In an interview Tuesday on AC360°, Shirvell defended his behavior, saying he is a concerned alum of the university who is invoking his constitutional right to speak out against what he views as Armstrong's agenda as the head of the school's student government.

Related: Assistant attorney general blogs against gay student body president

"I'm a Christian citizen exercising my First Amendment rights," Shirvell told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "I have no problem with the fact that Chris is a homosexual. I have a problem with the fact that he's advancing a radical homosexual agenda."

In an interview that airs Wednesday on AC360°, Shirvell's boss expressed distaste for his employee's behavior but insisted it was legally protected absent changed circumstances.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox told Cooper that after receiving complaints at his office, he read portions of "Chris Armstrong Watch."

"As I expected you did," Cox told Cooper, "I found it a bit of rambling of a slightly immature adult. And I was a bit shocked by it."

Shirvell's "actions are offensive," Cox also said. But the top Michigan lawyer also maintained that Shirvell's personal blogging is a form of free speech protected by Michigan law and by the First Amendment of the Constitution.



Cox added, "Quite frankly, I feel embarrassed for Mr. Armstrong - that he has this unwanted attention. But again, Anderson, this is speech put on a blog. And if you think about it, when we start censoring blogs or having workplace punishment for off-duty free speech, where do we draw the line?"

But, Cox also shared with Cooper some circumstances that, if they came to pass, might lead him to discipline Shirvell for targeting Armstrong and the Michigan AG also shared his opinion about whether he thinks Shirvell is a bully.



Tune into Anderson Cooper 360° at 10 p.m. Wednesday to watch Cox's interview and hear more about why the top lawyer has decided not to fire or discipline Shirvell.