An Iowa public defender will receive $125,000 from the state after she was fired, then reinstated, following online comments she made about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The 31-year-old Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 during a campus event in Utah. His death drew reactions ranging from grief to mockery, and hundreds of people nationwide received backlash, including firings, for comments perceived as callous or celebratory.
One such case involved Maria Ruhtenberg, an attorney with the Office of the State Public Defender, who posted comments on Facebook after the shooting, including “live by the sword, die by the sword” and “you reap what you sow.” She also indicated her disagreement with the views Kirk had expressed about the Second Amendment but said his killer should go to prison, according to court filings.
On Sept. 15, the same day she made the posts, the state fired Ruhtenberg. She contested her dismissal with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, and on Nov. 17, it reinstated her with full back pay. Ruhtenberg then sued the state, seeking additional damages and arguing her firing violated her First Amendment rights.
That lawsuit has concluded with a settlement approved May 5 by the State Appeal Board. The state is paying $125,000 ― $75,000 for Ruhtenberg and $50,000 for her attorneys ― without acknowledging wrongdoing.
Attorney David Albrecht, representing Ruhtenberg, confirmed she remains employed with the public defender’s office.
“We’re pleased to obtain some measure of accountability,” Albrecht said in a statement, adding, “Maria would like to emphasize that she brought the case not just for herself, but to protect the next public employee from being silenced by government overreach.”
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office, which defended the state in the suit, declined to comment.
Lawsuit second by an Iowa public employee to be settled; others pending
Ruhtenberg is one of at least 10 Iowa public employees who were fired, disciplined or investigated for comments made in the wake of Kirk’s shooting. At least six have filed lawsuits, and two — Ruhtenberg and former Creston High School teacher Melisa Crook — have now received settlements to resolve their cases.
Crook wrote on Facebook after Kirk’s death that “he is a terrible human being… terrible. I do not wish death on anyone, but him not being here is a blessing.” She later apologized and said she did not condone violence.
The district placed her on leave and sought to terminate her, citing safety concerns after receiving a wave of hostile messages about her.
Crook filed suit before she could be terminated and was granted a preliminary injunction stopping the district from firing her while the case progressed. In April, the district agreed to pay $145,000 through its insurer to settle the suit.
Under the deal, Crook will remain on leave through the end of the school year, then will resign.
Tyler Robinson, charged in Kirk’s killing at Utah Valley University, failed Thursday in a bid to ban cameras from his court proceedings. He is set for a preliminary hearing July 6-10.
Reuters contributed to this article.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa public defender fired for Charlie Kirk comments to get $125,000
Reporting by William Morris, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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