A former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee biologist who was fired in September over sharing a publish from one other account that referenced slain conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk was awarded a $485,000 settlement from the state on Thursday.
“All I wished was my job again. I see no leaders amongst FWC ‘management,’ however that’s to be anticipated when a state company turns into the governor’s private puppet present,” biologist Brittney Brown wrote in an announcement shared by the ACLU of Florida.
Brown was fired over sharing a publish that initially got here from a comedic whale-themed account, which she shared on her personal Instagram account on Sept. 10, 2025, in line with a lawsuit filed by the ACLU’s Florida affiliate.
“The whales are deeply saddened to be taught of the capturing of charlie kirk, haha simply kidding, they care precisely as a lot as charlie kirk cared about youngsters being shot of their school rooms, which is to say, by no means,” the publish learn.
The fee rebuked Brown’s repost in an announcement saying her firing, saying that they “have a zero-tolerance coverage in direction of the promotion of violence and hate, and we is not going to stand for such habits.”
Previous to her termination, Brown’s repost caught the eye of the favored right-wing social media web page “Libs of TikTok,” which shared a screenshot of the repost alongside a screenshot of her LinkedIn profile on X.
“She allegedly posted this disgusting message mocking Charlie’s ass*ssination. Your tax {dollars} pay her wage. She ought to be fired ASAP,” the right-wing web page wrote.
The lawsuit argued that most of the people would by no means have recognized that Brown was a public worker of any company “however for the doxing engaged in by the “Libs of Tik Tok” account on social-media platform X.”
Brown acquired a name from her supervisor lower than 24 hours after the right-wing web page uncovered her, asking her to decide on between resignation and termination, in line with the lawsuit. On Sept. 15, 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee introduced it had terminated her employment.
“Somebody made certain to alert Libs of Tik Tok that FWC had fired me — ten minutes after assembly with me and properly earlier than speaking with the general public,” Brown wrote in her assertion.
Florida officers have agreed to resolve Brown’s declare that her First Modification rights have been violated when her employment was terminated, in line with the ACLU of Florida.
“The ‘Free State of Florida’ solely supplies First Modification protections to these in favor with the present administration, whereas the remainder of us are anticipated to fall in line or danger dropping our livelihoods,” Brown wrote in her assertion.
The fee pays Brown $275,000, $40,000 in again wages, $235,000 in compensatory damages and $210,000 in attorneys’ charges.
“This administration would moderately spend Floridians’ tax {dollars} to line the pockets of the governor’s chosen regulation companies than admit they made a poor, politically motivated determination,” Brown wrote.
She may even obtain a impartial reference for future employment.
“These regarding practices underscore the extent to which political stress from Tallahassee is influencing our state companies,” the biologist continued. “FWC workers deserve higher, and so do Floridians.”