TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Florida wildlife officials have urged a federal judge to deny the reinstatement request of a biologist who was fired for his social media posts about the death of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk.
Lawyers for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have disputed claims that the agency violated Brittney Brown’s First Amendment rights in firing her on Sept. 15, according to WTVJ.
Instead, executive director Roger Young and division director Melissa Tucker said the reason for the layoffs was to “prevent foreseeable disruption, reputational damage and loss of public trust.” They assured that the agency seeks to establish credibility for its core mission, not police ideology.
Lawyers said the First Amendment does not protect public officials from the consequences of free speech that undermines the public trust on which government agencies depend.
Brown, who worked on a committee that studies shorebirds and seabirds in the area of Tyndall Air Force Base in the Panhandle, filed a lawsuit against the agency on Sept. 30, alleging that her firing violated her First Amendment rights.
According to the complaint, Brown was fired for reposting posts from the @whalefact account to her personal Instagram account. The post read, “The whales are deeply saddened to learn of the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Haha. Just kidding, but the whales care as much as Charlie Kirk cared about the kids shot in his classroom. In other words, they don’t care at all.”
After Brown reposted Charlie Kirk four days after his death, a conservative social media account called Libs of TikTok shared a screenshot and called for her removal.
Brown was fired the next day, according to the complaint.
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On October 3, Brown’s attorneys filed a motion for preliminary injunction with U.S. District Judge Mark Walker asking that Brown be reinstated to his previous job. The motion also said Brown’s posts do not interfere with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s work.
On Thursday, attorneys for Mr. Young and Mr. Tucker filed documents in response to a motion for a preliminary injunction. A public hearing on the motion is scheduled for November 10th.
Brown worked for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for about seven years. A copy of her Sept. 15 termination letter shows she works in an “other personal services” position, a classification that precludes protections other employees receive.
