The state of Florida must pay $485,000 to a fired biologist to settle a free speech lawsuit after a state agency canned her for a social media post criticizing conservative activist Charlie Kirk after he was shot to death.
Brittney Brown was terminated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in September. She filed her lawsuit shortly afterward, seeking reinstatement. She contended that with her specialization in bird conservation, she has struggled to find a job since FWC is the regulatory body for this line of work.
Brown signed the settlement agreement May 21, which pays her $235,000 to cover the loss of her job and $40,000 in backpay. She also received $210,000 to cover attorney fees and costs. Her previous salary wasn’t immediately available.
This was the first known lawsuit in Florida in which a state worker faced disciplinary action for an online response to Kirk’s assassination. It came while teachers, professors, nurses and various other public professions were getting fired en masse, leading to a broader national conversation about free speech and public employees.
Part of the settlement includes her agreement not to apply or seek reinstatement to FWC in the future.
Her ex-supervisor, under oath, declared hundreds of complaints were brought to the agency against Brown for the online post when it was only 50 complaints. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ordered the state pay attorney fees to Brown after their lawyers essentially doubled down on the supervisor’s “false” testimony.
An FWC spokesperson declined comment on the settlement. Gary Edinger, an attorney representing Brown, said the case is the result of Brown’s “refusal to accept that the government gets to decide which opinions its employees are allowed to hold.”
“These concerning practices underscore the extent to which political pressure from Tallahassee is influencing our state agencies,” Brown said in a statement. “FWC employees deserve better, and so do Floridians.”
Brown’s firing came after she reposted an Instagram joke on her story about whales reacting to Kirk’s assassination.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@usatodayco.com. On X: @stephanymatat.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida paying hefty settlement to employee fired over Charlie Kirk post
Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
