Jacob Ogles
The Andrew Gillum campaign fired youth outreach director Manny Orozco-Ballestas.
The former Gillum staff emailed Florida Politics with the following statement:
“I am embarrassed, angry, and disappointed in myself. This is painful and frustrating all at the same time. As a young person, you never imagine it will happen to you, until it does. I took social media for granted when I was younger and I am now facing the consequences.
“Having served as the only statewide youth director in the state of Florida for two extraordinary candidates, during this unprecedented election cycle, was the greatest joy of my young professional career.
“I’m so sorry to all those I let down, especially Mayor Gillum and my team. What I tweeted as an immature student many years ago is not a reflection of the man I am today. I will continue finding ways to fight for what is right for as long as I can, however I can — America is worth it and there is way too much at stake. “
Gillum staffers over the weekend announced Orozco-Ballestas no longer would work with the campaign.
“The type of language this young man used on social media before his employment with our campaign is unacceptable and he will no longer be working with the campaign,” Joshua Karp said in a statement reported by the Tampa Bay Times.
The action came after days of outcry by Republicans over old social media posts, including one in which Orozco-Ballestas can be seen wearing a shirt referencing states that voted for President Donald Trump, including Florida, as “Dumbfuckistan.”
Republican Party of Florida chairman Blaise Ingoglia criticized the Democratic campaign for dragging its feet in response.
“Remember, just a couple of days ago Gillum and his campaign defended this guy,” Ingoglia said.
“Apparently, calling millions of Floridians a vile term wasn’t enough to fire him the first time. Is this how a Gillum administration would look? Hiring people with questionable backgrounds? Could you imagine how he would vet Florida Supreme Court Justices?”
The old posts originally got publicized by right-wing blogger Jacob Engels, who also accused Manny Orozco-Ballestas of posting and deleting “pedophiliac” tweets. Those tweets insulted women with leg hair.
Orozco-Ballestas reportedly wrote in a 2013 post that Trump “need(ed) to be executed.” He also wrote on Instagram of the future President: “If you’re weighing 300 pounds+ maybe it’s a good idea you stop posting all that fattening food pics.”
But it was the T-shirt post that generated the most attention, including spots on Fox News.
Initially, the Gillum campaign took umbrage that Republicans would accuse staffers of vulgarity. Gillum spokesperson Carlie Waibel told the Tampa Bay Times the campaign would not “be lectured about words by the Party of Trump.”
“The anti-Trump shirt he wore before he was hired wasn’t funny or in any way related to our campaign and we’ve addressed that with him,” Waibel told the newspaper.
Republicans, hurting after weeks of the Gillum campaign criticizing Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis for associations with racists, suggested the Democrats be mindful of their own hires.
“It is hypocritical for Gillum to endorse the same kind of hateful, intolerant speech that he likes to denounce,” Ingoglia said.
