Gillum Fires Youth Outreach Director Over Unearthed Controversial Tweets

Gillum Fires Youth Outreach Director Over Unearthed Controversial Tweets

Daniel Molina
Daniel Molina
|
October 1, 2018

Late last week, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum fired their youth outreach director, Manny Orozco-Ballestas, after controversial tweets were unearthed.

In the tweets, Orozco-Ballestas suggested that President Trump should “be executed,” called Trump voters a part of “Dumbf*ckistan” and criticized obese people for posting pictures of food on Instagram among other controversial statements.

Joshua Karp, a spokesperson for the Gillum campaign, commented that “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.”

Apologizing for his tweets, Orozco-Ballestas released a statement, writing that “I took social media for granted when I was younger and I am now facing the consequences. 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."

In response to the unearthed tweets, Blaise Ingoglia, Republican Party of Florida chairman, commented that “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?”

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Ingoglia also added that “It is hypocritical for Gillum to endorse the same kind of hateful, intolerant speech that he likes to denounce.”

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Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is an award-winning senior reporter based in Miami. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Florida International University. His hobbies include reading, writing, and watching films.

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