Santos v. Howse

  • Latest Update: Apr 7, 2026
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Summary

Erika Santos joined the public debate over what legacy Charlie Kirk was leaving behind in the aftermath of his public killing on September 10, 2025. In retaliation for her criticisms, Eastern Florida State College fired the grant accountant after a perfunctory “investigation”. This is the second case we have brought to combat the government’s efforts to expand its censorship power based on reactions to Kirk’s death (the first is Brown v. Young).

WHAT'S AT STAKE

One of our most important rights is the right to have and express our own opinions. You don’t lose this right just because you accept a government job. The government is pushing for more and more control over what people say, learn, and ultimately believe. It’s vital that we fight to maintain these basic rights, as they are the foundation to our freedom.

The Latest: Judge Byron ruled that the claim against Ms. Santos’s former supervisor could go forward, finding that previous U.S. Supreme Court case law gave her “fair warning that terminating an employee for speaking as a private citizen on a matter of public concern, without allegations of actual or reasonably anticipated operational disruption, could violate the First Amendment.” We are working on discovery for the June 2027 trial.

Attorney(s):
Michelle Morton, Carrie McNamara, Samantha Past, Daniel Tilley

Learn More About the Issues in This Case

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