Palm Bay Seeks Postponement in Trial Involving Censured Councilman

PALM BAY, Fla. – The city of Palm Bay is currently unprepared to proceed with legal action against one of its own council members, Chandler Langevin. This situation stems from a lawsuit Langevin filed against the city after he was censured by the council last fall for his contentious social media posts regarding Indian immigrants.

Langevin’s controversial post claimed, “There’s not a single Indian that cares about the United States,” a statement that sparked significant backlash and criticism during subsequent city council meetings. His remarks were met with public outcry, including concerns from community members about the potential harm such rhetoric could inflict on children of diverse backgrounds.

One concerned resident voiced the risks posed by Langevin’s comments, stating, “The words you used put my children and other children of other color, or whatever, in harm.” Despite the backlash, Langevin stood by his right to express his opinions, defiantly stating, “Quite frankly, as long as I’m not breaking the law, I’ll say whatever I damn well please.”

Public comment at city council meetings that followed was critical of Langevin’s comments.

“The words you used put my children and other children of other color, or whatever, in harm,” one man said.

“Quite frankly, as long as I’m not breaking the law, I’ll say whatever I damn well please,” Langevin responded.

This week, the city’s attorney filed an emergency motion to postpone the trial over the lawsuit.

Trial was supposed to start in two weeks, and while the city wrote it worked diligently to prepare for trial, the motion listed reasons why the city needs more time like the holiday schedule and short-staffing.

Attorney Anthony Sabatani said Langevin’s ready to go to trial.

“You can have controversial views. You can have a view that no one likes,” Sabatini told News 6 in December.

Sabatini has argued the council violated the First Amendment by censuring Langevin and attempting to limit his power.

The city attorney’s office held a special meeting over the lawsuit Thursday night.

It was closed to the public, but anyone can go to the regular city council meeting that follows.

Stick with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates on a new trial date.