Florida Nurse Fights License Suspension Over Karoline Leavitt Comments

BOCA RATON, Fla. — A Boca Raton labor and delivery nurse is challenging the emergency suspension of her nursing license after posting a video online expressing sentiments about White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Alexis “Lexie” Lawler filed a petition with Florida’s First District Court of Appeal on February 18, 2026, seeking to overturn the suspension or limit it to prevent her from practicing only in labor and delivery, rather than all nursing fields.

Details of the Suspension

The Florida Department of Health issued an Order of Emergency Suspension on January 28, 2026, immediately barring Lawler from practicing nursing. This action followed a video Lawler posted around January 22, 2026, in which she stated she wished Leavitt would experience a “fourth-degree tear” during childbirth. Lawler subsequently mocked those who reported her to her employer on Facebook, leading to her termination from the Boca Raton hospital.

Legal Arguments and Free Speech Concerns

Lawler’s petition argues that the loss of her nursing license is an excessive and unlawful response to off-duty speech that did not involve patient care. Her legal team emphasizes that the Florida Department of Health has not identified any instances of patient harm, workplace misconduct, deviation from care standards, or prior violations during her 12-year career.

The petition cites U.S. Supreme Court rulings protecting politically charged speech, even when it is considered harsh or inflammatory. It contends that the state failed to demonstrate an “immediate, serious, and continuing danger” to the public, a requirement for emergency suspensions. No allegations of patient harm, safety complaints, or clinical performance issues have been raised against Lawler.

Florida law mandates that emergency suspensions be narrowly tailored and supported by specific facts demonstrating why less restrictive measures would be insufficient to protect the public. Lawler requests that, if the suspension isn’t lifted entirely, it be modified to allow her to work in non-patient-facing nursing roles while the case is ongoing.

Attorney General’s Response and Public Support

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier publicly called for Lawler’s license to be revoked on January 27, 2026, stating that her termination was “not good enough.”

Lawler has received financial support through a GoFundMe campaign launched by her husband, raising nearly $30,000 as of February 25, 2026, to cover legal expenses related to employment and civil rights claims. The fundraiser characterizes the case as an example of retaliation for political speech and government overreach.

Court’s Response

On February 20, 2026, the First District Court of Appeal directed the Florida Department of Health to provide a justification by February 24, 2026, explaining why the court should not grant Lawler’s motion to stay the suspension. The case has garnered attention from free speech advocates, who express concerns that the state’s response could establish a precedent for punishing political expression by licensed professionals.