TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Council Chairman Orlando Gudes announced he will step down from leadership amid numerous sexual harassment allegations against him.
Gudes immediately made a motion at the start of Thursday's meeting to leave the role of chairman, with District 6 member Guido Maniscalco be elected chair. Gudes stressed he is not resigning from the city council.
"In light of what has transpired of the last four days that I can't talk about that I have retained counsel, and again everyone has their day to be vindicated, I'm waiting for that day and that day will happen," said Gudes, in part, thanking supporters.
"I'm not going to give up the fight."
Gudes' motion was unanimous.
He was sworn into office in May 2019 and represents District 5. The now-former chair faces 19 sexual harassment allegations, the majority of which a law firm found "more likely than not to have occurred."
The allegations come after Gudes' former legislative aide brought them up to the city of Tampa's human resources department. The investigation began on Aug. 12, 2021.
The city hired an independent law firm to investigate each of the 19 allegations. Trenam Law says it found 18 of the 19 allegations were credible.
The investigation into Gudes is costing taxpayers $98,897.50, which a city spokesperson said was a necessary cost due to the "unprecedented complaint involving an elected official" and the need to conduct an "exhaustive" investigation.
Gudes' legal team is denying and defending the allegations, according to documents obtained by 10 Tampa Bay.
Maniscalco told 10 Tampa Bay he didn't know what was going to happen Thursday morning at the meeting. He was the chair prior to Gudes, so it may be why Gudes nominated him to take back over the position.
10 Tampa Bay has reached out to Gudes for comment and tried to speak with him at the meeting, but he has not made himself available. Toward the start of the meeting, he said he could not yet publicly talk about the situation.
Earlier in the week, council members Luis Viera and Joseph Citro released statements calling on Gudes to resign.
Maniscalco said, "I don’t think it’s my place or my job to tell someone to resign or not. They’re elected by the people."
Although Gudes is adamant he is not resigning from the Tampa City Council, this is the second controversy this month that has involved a council member.
John Dingfelder resigned from the council on March 14 after a lawsuit called his handling of a public record request into question. Dingfelder's resignation is part of a settlement agreement filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court.