Florida biologist fired over Charlie Kirk post after his death wins $485K settlement
Summary
A Florida biologist named Brittney Brown was fired by a state agency after she criticized conservative activist Charlie Kirk on social media following his death. Brown reached a $485,000 settlement with the agency, which includes back pay and damages, but she agreed not to seek future work there.Key Facts
- Brittney Brown worked for Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for about seven years, studying shorebirds and seabirds.
- She reposted a meme on Instagram criticizing Charlie Kirk after he was killed, leading to her firing in September 2025.
- The state agency claimed her post caused hundreds of complaints and disruption, but investigations showed only about 50 complaints were received.
- Brown sued the agency seeking her job back and was awarded $485,000 in a settlement covering back pay, damages, and legal costs.
- As part of the settlement, Brown agreed not to apply for future jobs at the agency.
- Other people in public and private jobs have also lost work over social media comments about Kirk’s death, with several lawsuits ongoing.
- The ACLU called the settlement a victory for free speech rights for government employees.
- There have been related cases, including a Tennessee man jailed and awarded a settlement over a joke about Kirk’s assassination.
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