relatives cant work same dept/diff location??

WA state.
Military dept custodian position. Wife is employed on one base about 7 miles away I applied for a similar position on a different base. (civilian lawnguy)
Different locations but same supervisor. So the hiring guy tells me it is against policy to have relatives working in the same dept even on different bases. So I am declined the job even though I would have been replacing another guys Dad that worked together with his son hand in hand for 2 years!!
Can I sue them for discrimination? This is AFTER my application was approved by people in the main office on the coast.
Im also aware of at least three other relatives in that dept working there right now.
Its not the policy itself that makes me mad its the fact that he led me on for weeks while my application made it through every hurdle involved in a typical govt job and then he says no thats against policy sorry?!

[randalljd]

It is not strictly illegal to have done that.

But you may want to file a compaint with higher level supervisors.

Now its even more confusing as I emailed the upper level management and asked for said policy in writing and it didnt match with the denial of employment???? According to the policy they sent me copies of I was fully eligible for the job and denied employment based on a nonexistant policy??
Not really sure what to think now. Dont see the point in forcing them to give me a job so I geuss Ill just let it go but it surew would be nice to know the actual reason I was denied employment.

[randalljd]

You may want to force HR to at least get it all in writing and in a consistent format. They do owe you some reliable communication.