Federal Court Sanctions Florida Wildlife Official for False Statement and Law Firm for Vexatious Litigation in Case Challenging Employee’s Dismissal Over Charlie Kirk Social Media Post

TALLAHASSEE, FL – In a significant development in Brown v. Young, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida granted a motion to impose sanctions on a Florida wildlife official for falsely claiming a former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) employee’s social media post about Charlie Kirk caused operational disruption and justified her termination. The Court also imposed sanctions on the law firm of Lawson Huck Gonzalez, who “doggedly defended the indefensible” on behalf of FWC in the lawsuit, in the words of the Court.

Brittney Brown, a skilled biologist who worked for FWC for more than seven years, sued the agency in September 2025 for unfairly firing her for posting a social media meme on her private Instagram story following the death of Charlie Kirk. Represented by the ACLU of Florida and the law firm of Benjamin, Aaronson, Edinger & Patanzo, the lawsuit argues that her termination was punishment for expressing a political view disfavored by certain state officials and violated her First Amendment right to free speech.

During litigation, state officials claimed Brown’s speech significantly disrupted agency operations, resulted in “hundreds” of complaints, and required urgent action. Discovery revealed that those claims were false, and FWC knew it. The case is expected to go to trial in June 2026.

In response to the federal court’s order, Brittney Brown, the plaintiff in the case, responded with the following:

“The state wants to censor employees while allowing agency leaders and lawyers to present false testimony in court to defend that censorship. For eight months, FWC has needlessly spent taxpayer dollars trying to punish me for exercising my constitutional right to free speech. Now, this sanctions order makes clear that the individuals responsible will personally bear the consequences of that conduct.

 

“I loved my job. I’ve dedicated my life to protecting and preserving Florida’s natural treasures – and a private social media post should never have interrupted that mission. I’m eager to return to that work on behalf of the people and wildlife of Florida.”

Carrie McNamara, staff attorney of the ACLU of Florida, stated:

“We are appreciative of the court’s order and the important message it sends: no one is above the law.

 

“This ruling is a timely and significant rebuke of a troubling trend that has become emblematic of Florida governance. It marks the second time in less than a year that a court has had to sanction a state official for conduct that undermined the integrity of judicial proceedings or disregarded court orders.

 

“We proudly stand alongside Brittney as she fights to defend her First Amendment rights and the principle that public employees do not surrender their constitutional freedoms when they enter public service.”

Gary S. Edinger of Benjamin, Aaronson, Edinger & Patanzo, P.A., co-counsel for Brittney Brown, added:

“Sanctions in federal cases are rare because the rules are clear, and parties and their attorneys are expected to follow them. When those rules are violated, there are real consequences. That is exactly what happened here. The defendants submitted a false affidavit, and the court saw through it.

 

“The federal district court imposed a significant sanction. The purpose of this order is not only to reimburse Ms. Brown for attorney’s fees, but also to deter similar misconduct in the future. Hopefully, the State of Florida is paying attention.”

The court order detailing the sanctions is below.