Can defamation constitute a claim for relief under the Fourteenth Amendment?

Defamation can, under certain circumstances, constitute a claim for relief under the Fourteenth Amendment. However, reputational harm alone does not state a 1983 claim. Paul v. Davis, 424 U.S. 693, 701-710 (1976). Instead, a plaintiff must allege loss of a constitutionally protected property or liberty interest in conjunction with the allegation

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of injury to reputation. Cooper v. Dupnik, 924 F.2d 1520, 1532 (9th Cir.1991), aff'd in relevant part, 963 F.2d 1220, 1235 n.6 (9th Cir. 1992) (en banc).