Florida councilwoman suspended over alleged offensive social media posts
Councilwoman suspended over alleged offensive social media posts
Groveland City Councilwoman Judith Fike has been suspended from office after the city council voted Monday night to open an investigation into a series of controversial social media posts allegedly made by Fike ? some dating back nearly a decade and others as recent as late 2024.
GROVELAND, Fla. - Groveland City Councilwoman Judith Fike has been suspended from office after the city council voted Monday night to open an investigation into a series of controversial social media posts allegedly made by Fike — some dating back nearly a decade and others as recent as late 2024.
What we know:
Groveland City Councilwoman Judith Fike has been suspended following a unanimous vote by the city council amid an investigation into allegedly offensive social media posts.
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The posts, described as "racially charged" and "anti-gay," range from as early as 2015 to as recent as late 2024. The council has hired an independent investigator to review the posts and determine whether Fike should be permanently removed from office.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether the posts were actually authored by Fike, as she claims some were altered or taken out of context.
The investigation is still ongoing, and no final decision has been made about her permanent removal. The identity of the person who anonymously sent the screenshots to Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines also has not been revealed.
The backstory:
Fike was appointed to the city council and is now campaigning to retain her seat.
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During a recent council meeting, Vice Mayor Gaines presented screenshots of the controversial posts, which included a racial slur, derogatory comments about former President Barack Obama, and remarks about the LGBTQ+ community following the Pulse nightclub shooting. One post was reportedly made after Fike took office.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the City of Groveland and attorney Anthony Sabatini.