A Florida councilwoman has been suspended over allegations of sharing numerous hateful social media posts, including racist remarks about Barack Obama and a method for harming gay people.
Judith Fike, a Groveland council member since October 2024, is currently under temporary suspension as the city investigates the offensive social media remarks allegedly made by her.
The Republican claims the posts were ‘doctored’ and missing vital context.
She is suing the city for ‘unlawfully’ suspending her, claiming that this is an attempt to damage her chances of re-election in what she perceives to be a smear campaign.
On Monday night, the Groveland City Council voted for her suspension after an anonymous person sent Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines screenshots of ‘racially-charged’ and ‘anti-gay’ posts allegedly shared by Fike.
‘On June 30, I received a package in the mail that contained some of the most vile and disgusting social media comments,’ Gaines began.
‘Councilwoman Fike has admitted to making racial and LGBTQ comments, and so, I want to address those tonight.’
Gaines then proceeded to read from the alleged posts which included slurs and derogatory sentiments.
Judith Fike (pictured), a Groveland council member since October 2024, has been temporarily removed as the city investigates vile social media remarks she allegedly posted
On Monday night, the Groveland City Council voted for her suspension after an anonymous person sent screenshots of ‘racially-charged’ and ‘anti-gay’ posts allegedly shared by Fike (pictured)
Some of the posts were from about a decade ago, while the most recent example of Fike ‘radiating hate’ was from last year, Gaines claimed.
‘From using the n-word to bashing the LQBTQ+ community and trivializing tragedies like Pulse [nightclub shooting],’ Gaines said, in reference to the 2016 mass shooting at a gay club in Orlando which killed 49 people.
‘It would have been easier to take the people from the Pulse nightclub, it would have been easier to push them off the roof,’ Gaines read aloud, allegedly quoting Fike.
‘Who does that?’ Gaines asked.
Fike tried justifying the post later in the meeting, telling Gaines that she was making reference to a contemporaneous atrocity in the Middle East, where ISIS was murdering gay people by throwing them off rooves.
It is not clear exactly why Fike was linking the two incidents, but she claimed it was meant to be supportive of the LGTBQ+ community.
‘My comment was, of course this gentleman did what he did. It was easier than having to march them up steps,’ she said, referencing Pulse shooter Omar Mateen.
Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines (pictured) held up examples of the alleged social media posts at the meeting
One post allegedly touched upon the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting (pictured: FBI agents outside of Pulse after the shooting)
Another post allegedly racially targeted Barack Obama (pictured), depicting Ronald Reagan ‘babysitting’ him and referring to him as a monkey
‘And it was meant as a support of the community, not against the community.’
She ended her explanation by conceding her post, ‘may have been written in poor taste’.
Gaines also stood up to show community members screenshots of a post allegedly depicting Ronald Reagan ‘babysitting’ Obama.
‘Except, [Obama] is a monkey,’ Gaines told the small audience referencing the image allegedly shared by Fike.
But Fike claims the posts were altered to be purposely unflattering or taken out of context.
While addressing City Attorney Anita Geraci-Carver, Fike responded to the accusations made against her.
‘Anita, when I met you in your office and you handed me those, I explained to you how they had been copy and pasted and had words inserted,’ she said.
‘Now that Barbara has shown them, those are indeed manipulated. And so, I will just let that rest. They’re not my words.
Fike (left) has sued the city for suspending her over the alleged social media posts Gaines (middle) called ‘vile’
‘There are some copies, but what Barbara just showed were absolutely not products of mine’
Fike had allegedly previously told The Clermont Sun she took responsibility for her posts and apologized to ‘anyone who was hurt by them,’ according to Central Florida Public Media.
However, it is unclear what messages she was referring to in that article. Fike said in the meeting her apology did not pertain to any messages read by Gaines.
She ultimately agreed to the city’s investigation because she said she would ‘like to clear my name’.
‘The woke City of Groveland has violated Florida’s Constitution and Open Meetings Law by unlawfully removing Councilmember Fike from a Council Meeting,’ Fike’s attorney, Anthony Sabatini, wrote to the Daily Mail on Wednesday.
‘Their purported “suspension” has no legal basis or precedent whatsoever and will be reversed in court.
‘This was a cheap attempt to damage her in the upcoming election, and the City should be embarrassed of its lawless actions.’
Fike claims the posts are doctored or missing vital context and alleged they have emerged as the result of a smear campaign to prevent her re-election
He also reiterated that Fike has filed a lawsuit and said they will have an injunction against the city within the next five days.
When the Daily Mail asked Sabatini why Fike believes she is being targeted, he simply stated: ‘Because she is Republican.’
A spokesperson from the Groveland City Council shared a statement from Mayor Keith Keogh with the Daily Mail.
‘Although we will await the investigative findings, the tweets in question are shocking and abhorrent,’ Keogh said.
‘There is no place for this type of behavior and beliefs on the council governing our city. Should the tweets be confirmed as originating from Ms. Fike, I will support her permanent removal from the council.’
