On October 28, 2017, Briskman was riding her bike in Sterling, Virginia, when the Trump motorcade passed her as he departed Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C.[8] She flipped her middle finger as Trump rode by, which was caught on camera by a photographer.[9] Briskman had worked as a marketing analyst for Akima, a government contractor, for eight months until she was fired for using the viral photo as her Facebook cover photo and her Twitter profile picture.[8] She sued for wrongful termination as another employee also had "obscene content", which it was her job to flag, on his social media accounts, but was allowed to remove it. Her claim was not upheld in court because Virginia's at-will employment laws do not cover free speech,[8] but the judge granted Briskman the full severance pay she was owed.[10]
2019 election
In 2019, Briskman, a Democrat, was elected to the Algonkian District seat of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, defeating eight-year incumbent Suzanne M. Volpe.[5][8][11] She described herself as running on policies such as environmentalism, education, and women's rights, rather than the notice she received for flipping off the president.[12] The Washington Post described her victory as "fabulous revenge",[13] and Gerard Baker of London's The Times noted that it highlighted President Trump's perceived issues with suburban American women.[14]
Personal life
Briskman moved to Loudoun County in the early 2000s. She is the mother of two with her ex-husband.[5] Briskman has also worked part-time as a yoga instructor.[3]
