Tampa City Council member Orlando Gudes said this morning that he would step down as council chair, but he would not resign from his seat representing District 5 on the council. 

The comments came three days after a hard-hitting report produced by an independent law firm commissioned by the City of Tampa concluded that Gudes had created a hostile working environment for a woman who formerly worked under him.

“A leader can’t be in turmoil and try to lead,” Gudes said to kick off the meeting. “I will not be resigning, but I will step down as chair at this time.”

Gudes made a motion for Council member Guido Maniscalco to succeed him. The board then voted unanimously to do so.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, former Police Chief Brian Dugan and two city council members have already called for Gudes to resign since the independent report from a Tampa law firm confirmed 18 out of 19 allegations by a former staffer that Gudes had made disparaging about the her sex life, her underage daughter and Mayor Castor.

Castor does not have the authority to fire Gudes – she said this week that if she did have that power, he would be gone. As it stands, only Gov. Ron DeSantis can remove Gudes from office.  A spokesperson from the governor’s office said earlier this week that he was monitoring events in Tampa.

Gudes represents parts of downtown Tampa, West Tampa, Ybor City and East Tampa, and is the only Black member on the board.

Reaction was split between supporters and critics who spoke at the public comment portion of the council’s meeting, the first time that Gudes has appeared in public since the report dropped late Monday afternoon

“Because of you, things have changed in this district,” said Kella McCaskill, a community activist and realtor.

“Politics is a bloodsport,” added Eddie Adams, Jr., who contrasted the reaction to the report on Gudes to new Police Chief Mary O’Connor, who was arrested as a rookie police officer in 1995 on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, obstruction and disorderly conduct, but was appointed by Castor to lead the Tampa Police Dept. recently.

“He said some things that may be out of character. He did not physically strike an officer on duty,” said Adams Jr.

But there were also critics who said that Gudes had disgraced himself and the city.

“Orlando Gudes must step down,” said Ava Harrison, who ran against Gudes in the District 7 city council race in 2016. “His sexist, bigoted, misogynistic and homophobic comments show he does not support a large portion of the community, and we cannot allow this to stand.”

Bishop Michelle B. Patty said she recalled how Gudes had apologized in 2020 after making anti-Semitic remarks, and said that Gudes didn’t deserve any sympathy.

“Second chances? He has gotten many chances, over and over and over….so how many chances do you give someone who has violated the trust of the people?” she asked.

This is the second controversy to rock the council in the past few weeks.

John Dingfelder resigned on March 14 as part of a legal settlement after he was alleged to have violated public record laws. The council is slated to choose his replacement next week.