PHOTO VIA ANTHONY SABATINI FACEBOOK PAGE
On July 17, a Lake County circuit judge granted a preliminary injunction restoring Judith Fike to her seat on the Groveland City Council following her suspension last week over controversial social media posts
The council had suspended Fike by a 3–1 vote, citing “racist” and anti‑gay content from posts dating as far back as 2015. Fike has countered that some posts were “doctored” and does not accept responsibility for all of them.
One post, in the aftermath of the Pulse shooting, allegedly stated it “‘Duh….why would the shooter target a gay club? My answer…Easier than marching them up steps to push off the roof..some sarcasm, some truth…” Fike later claimed it was about Middle Eastern persecution of LGBTQ individuals, not her own words.
Other tweets included the statement, “Can we divert our attention back to real news? The #LGBT freak show has had its run,” and another that depicted President Barack Obama as an ape and being babysat by President Ronald Reagan.
Her attorney, Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, argued that neither Groveland’s charter nor its existing ethics policy authorizes the suspension of a sitting councilmember. He described the action as “reckless, lawless, and just hyper-politically” motivated
The case remains ongoing. While Fike is back on the council, the City Council is planning a special meeting, and both sides continue to work toward resolving broader claims, including alleged violations of open‑meetings law and the city charter.
Fike is currently campaigning for re‑election in District 4, with a primary scheduled for August 19, 2025, and a potential runoff in November.
