The state owes nearly half a million dollars to a biologist fired after reposting on social media a statement critical of the late Charlie Kirk.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Executive Director Roger Young agreed Thursday to filed in September by former FWC biologist Brittney Brown for $485,000.
A federal trial was scheduled for June for the case, instigated when Brown, following Kirk鈥檚 killing, reposting to her private Instagram a parody of how a whale might see the world. 鈥淭he whales are deeply saddened to learn of the shooting of charlie kirk, haha just kidding, they care exactly as much as charlie kirk cared about children being shot in their classrooms, which is to say, not at all.鈥�
At the direction of FWC Executive Director Roger Young, Melissa Tucker, an FWC division director, fired Brown, prompting the lawsuit, according to court records.
Brown, in the original filing, alleged retaliation and viewpoint discrimination violating her First Amendment right to free speech.
Brown will receive $275,000, $40,000 of which represents back wages. An additional $210,000 is for attorneys鈥� fees and costs.
鈥淎ll I wanted was my job back,鈥� Brown said in a news release.
鈥淚 see no leaders amongst FWC 鈥榣eadership,鈥� but that鈥檚 to be expected when a state agency becomes the governor鈥檚 personal puppet show. The 鈥楩ree State of Florida鈥� only provides First Amendment protections to those in favor with the current administration, while the rest of us are expected to fall in line or risk losing our livelihoods.鈥�
Brown was a biological scientist studying shorebirds and seabirds at the Tyndall Air Force Base Critical Wildlife Area near Panama City.
Her social media repost was made outside of her state office and off the clock.
It eventually caught the attention of Libs of TikTok, which posted it to X alongside her LinkedIn profile, calling for her firing.
鈥淪omeone made sure to alert Libs of Tik Tok that FWC had fired me 鈥� ten minutes after meeting with me and well before communicating with the public,鈥� Brown said.
鈥淭hese concerning practices underscore the extent to which political pressure from Tallahassee is influencing our state agencies. FWC employees deserve better, and so do Floridians.鈥�
Following the backlash, Tucker alleged the agency received hundreds of documented complaints, disrupting operations. Later, it was revealed that approximately 50 documented complaints reached the department and most of them never reached the people who decided to fire Brown.
Tucker and defense attorneys drew sanctions last week over that testimony from U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, a President Barack Obama appointee.
Brown鈥檚 case was one of nationwide resulting from social media posts following Kirk鈥檚 death.
The state retained Lawson Huck Gonzalez as counsel, a firm with a history representing Gov. Ron DeSantis鈥� administration.
鈥淭his administration would rather spend Floridians鈥� tax dollars to line the pockets of the governor鈥檚 chosen law firms than admit they made a poor, politically motivated decision,鈥� Brown said.
Brown was represented by Gary Edinger, a Gainesville First Amendment attorney and the ACLU of Florida.
Said Edinger: "From the beginning, the state鈥檚 case rested on a foundation that could not withstand scrutiny 鈥� and the federal court saw through it at every turn. 鈥�
Added Carrie McNamara, staff attorney of the ACLU of Florida, : 鈥淭his settlement is a hard-won vindication for Brittney Brown and a clear message to state officials across Florida: you cannot fire public employees for expressing constitutionally protected views on their own time, on their own accounts, about matters of public concern."
The settlement stipulates that Brown will not apply for or work for FWC again. She may, however, work for another state agency.
The FWC did not respond to a Thursday afternoon request for comment.
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SA国际传谋 News Staff contributed to this story.
