Employers and institutions have so far paid out a cumulative $2 million in legal settlements to people who were fired or penalized over their online reactions to Charlie Kirk’s death.Kirk—a longtime right-wing activist who played a critical role in translating the MAGA agenda to America’s college-age youth—was assassinated in September. His death proved as polarizing as his life’s work: Millions of people reacted, some with shock and rage, and some with apparent glee.An estimated 600 people were either penalized or let go from their places of employment, a punishment for their publicized opinions on the right-winger’s untimely demise.The consequences were hailed by the Trump administration. In an honorary postmortem episode of Kirk’s podcast hosted by Vice President JD Vance, the number two Republican encouraged listeners to call the employers of anyone “celebrating Charlie’s murder.” Former Attorney General Pam Bondi likened the anti-Kirk posts to hate speech, and said at the time that the Justice Department would “absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech.”Legal experts fretted that the governmental response had set a dangerous precedent. Yet the settlements have proven to be a major win for freedom of speech.One of the largest settlement recipients was a retired Tennessee cop, Larry Bushart, who was jailed for more than a month after he posted a meme related to Kirk’s assassination. Bushart settled an “unlawful incarceration” lawsuit for $835,000 last week.“I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated,” Bushart said in a statement last week. “The people’s freedom to participate in civil discourse is crucial to a healthy democracy.”Biologist Brittney Brown settled last week with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for $485,000 after she was fired for similar causes, also involving a Kirk-related meme on her Instagram account. In a statement, Brown claimed that all she wanted was her job back.Suzanne Swierc made a comment about Kirk on her private Facebook page. But a screenshot of her post, taken and shared by someone else, ultimately cost Swierc her job at Ball State University. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the college on Swierc’s behalf. They settled on Tuesday, with Ball State University agreeing to pay $225,000.“Suzanne was speaking as a private citizen on a matter of public concern when Ball State fired her over a private social media post,” Stevie Pactor, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Indiana, said in a statement. “The First Amendment does not allow government institutions to retaliate in those circumstances, and this settlement reflects that.”Many more such lawsuits could be on the horizon. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has recorded at least 14 First Amendment lawsuits in federal court over wrongful termination related to comments made about Kirk’s death. That tally does not include those brought by workers terminated in the private sector, or for employees who filed in state court, reported Axios Thursday.