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Black America Web
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
Florida Councilwoman Sues After Suspended Over Racist Tweets
Source: eyecrave / Getty In today's episode of If They Have Nothing Else, They Have The Caucasity, a city councilwoman in Florida is suing the city council for anti-bigotry discrimination. No, that's not the language used in the lawsuit filed by Groveland City Council member Judi Fike — because Liar Liar is only a movie — but that's essentially what Fike is alleging after she was suspended and stripped of her duties pending a full investigation into homophobic and racist tweets she allegedly posted as far as 2015 and as recent as 2022. According to the Clermont Sun, Fike's suspension came after the Sun published an exclusive investigation revealing dozens of her old tweets, in which she joked about throwing gay people off a roof and showed extreme racial resentment for Black people. The District 4 councilwoman reportedly had to be escorted from a July 7 meeting by police for disrupting proceedings after Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines, who had received printed out copies of Fike's alleged tweets from an anonymous source, gave an impassioned speech about racism and inclusivity. 'Fike's attorney, Anthony Sabatini, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against the City of Groveland at the Fifth Judicial Court of Lake County on July 9,' the Sun reported. 'In the filing, he is claiming $100,000 plus in damages.' Last month, Judi Fike issued an apology, claiming she takes 'full responsibility for my past words,' but much of her statement was devoted to defending herself against what she unsurprisingly calls a 'political attack.' 'I've campaigned on inclusiveness, fairness and standing up for Groveland – not tearing others down,' she wrote. 'That's what makes this political attack so disappointing. These tweets didn't suddenly resurface; someone chose to dig them up and distribute them anonymously in an election season, to distract from the real issues. 'I will not let that tactic work,' she continued. And there it is… Judi Fike claims she takes 'full responsibility' for her words, saying, 'I regret them deeply, and I sincerely apologize to anyone who was hurt by them.' She even went as far as to declare, 'Personal growth isn't always neat or pretty, but it is necessary.' However, she hasn't grown so much that she's above suing over her suspension, because the exposure of her regretful words is part of a 'political attack.' That's not 'regret' for what she said; it's regret for getting caught. In fact, let's take a look at the old tweets she regrets and takes full responsibility for — minus, of course, the ones she claims were 'manipulated.' From LGBTQ Nation: Just hours after the Pulse nightclub shooting in June 2016 in nearby Orlando, Fike posted to Facebook, 'Duh….why would the shooter target a gay club? My answer…Easier than marching them up steps to push off the sarcasm, some truth…' In 2015, Fike posted to her 'Widow Fike' account on Twitter (now X), 'Can we divert our attention back to real news? The #LGBT freak show has had its run.' Fike owns and operates a catering company called The Black Napkin. Last week, the city council confronted Fike with the posts in an open meeting, displaying screenshots as Fike watched, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Groveland Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines, who is Black, said the posts included 'racist' portrayals of then-President Barack Obama as a monkey. 'This is a picture of President Ronald Reagan babysitting Barack Obama, except it is an ape, a baboon, a monkey or whatever you call it,' Gaines said. In several tweets shared at the meeting, Fike obsesses over the word 'thug'. '#thug the new n word,' she posted in 2015. 'Thug life = thug treatment = no pity from me,' she wrote in 2019. In 2022, Fike shared a meme that read, 'What's the magic word to get what you want? Racist!' Judi Fike essentially claimed that her post about the Pulse nightclub shooting went over the heads of council members, and that her message was about a presidential candidate in 2016 aligning with a community in the Middle East who were 'pushing gay individuals off of buildings.' (So, she wasn't being homophobic; she was being Islamophobic. Got it.) 'It was meant as a support of the community, not against the community,' she said. 'It might have been written in poor taste, but I want to clarify that for you because that was going on at the time.' Then, predictably, the councilwoman who takes full responsibility for her words — does not take full responsibility for her words. 'Those are indeed manipulated, and so I'll just let that rest,' Fike said during the meeting. 'They are not my words. Some are, there are some copies, but what Barbara just showed were absolutely not products of mine.' It's unclear exactly which tweets Judi Fike is copping to and which ones she's claiming were 'manipulated,' but the council didn't buy any of it anyway, so she was voted out all the same. Apparently, they didn't believe this so-called victim of a 'political attack' was also the victim of vicious photoshoppers who 'manipulated' images of her being bigoted to supplement the actual images of her being bigoted. 'Words have impact. As elected officials, we are committed to respecting all people in our community by being accountable and inclusive leaders,' Gaines said during the meeting. 'When you make hateful and racist remarks, it only hurts people and fails to align with that commitment.' Exactly. SEE ALSO: Florida Law Student Suspended For Antisemitism After He Was Awarded For Writing That Constitution Only Applies To White People White Florida Man Says He Would Have Shot Black Girl Who Rang His Doorbell Florida Councilwoman Files Lawsuit After Being Suspended Over Racist And Homophobic Tweets was originally published on
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘Poker Face' offers a fantasy of truth divining that would be exhausting in real life
Pop culture has often batted around the idea of what it means to lie and tell the truth, usually to comic effect. In 'Liar Liar' (1997), Jim Carrey plays a truth-challenged lawyer whose son makes a wish that Dad will no longer lie. Presto! A movie full of (often quite funny) jokes about a lawyer forced to be honest. In 'The Invention of Lying' (2009), Ricky Gervais, who also co-wrote and co-directed, plays a writer in a world where the first lie has yet to be told. In a burst of inspiration, he becomes a pioneer in the field of fabulism. A lineup of criminals and hucksters test Charlie in the new season, played by the likes of John Cho, Katie Holmes, and call them out. She's not naïve, but she is offended by dishonesty. In the present-day real world, she would never get a wink of sleep. Advertisement Culture critic Chris Vognar was the 2008 Nieman Arts and Culture Fellow at Harvard. He cannot tell a lie.
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Daily Record
Edinburgh firebomb cops hunt three suspects and black getaway car after kingpin's pal targeted
Two motors at the home of mob boss Mark Richardson's pal David McMillan were targeted yesterday afternoon. Police are hunting three suspects who fled the scene of an Edinburgh gangland firebomb attack in a black hatchback car. A white defender was one of two motors torched on the driveway of gangster Mark Richardon's close pal. The blaze took place at David McMillan's plush Edinburgh property in the city on Thursday at around 6.30pm. No one was injured in the fire. Detectives say the three suspects fled along Greenbank Drive. Now CID are asking for the public's help after the latest terrifying blaze attack in Scotland's gangland wars. They are also keen to trace a dog walker who may have witnessed the attackers leaving the area. Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: 'This was a reckless act which has resulted in significant fire damage to the vehicles. We believe this was a targeted attack and it is fortunate that no one was injured. 'I am directly appealing to a dog walker who was in the area at the time and may have seen the suspects leaving the area. If this was you, or you can help us trace this person, please get in touch with officers. 'Equally anyone with any information that can assist our inquiries should contact police as soon as possible.' We told how disturbing footage released earlier today showed a hooded thug running from the scene. The clip shows a man wearing a black balaclava and black jacket running from the scene as the motor bursts into flames. The disturbing footage was set to the song 'Liar Liar' by Avicii and released by Mr Big's enforcers Tamo Junto, a faceless group who have claimed responsibility for a wave of gangland attacks. A source said: "The family were in their back garden having a barbecue when the car was set on fire. 'You can see the guy who torched the car running away." Images from the scene show the melted luxury motor in the driveway. It comes weeks after the home was also targeted on April 17. David McMillan's house - which had children sleeping inside - was targeted by two masked thugs who set the front door on fire before fleeing. The attack happened on the six year anniversary of the assassination of Trainspotting T2 star Bradley Welsh who was pals with McMillan, 54. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 3400 of Thursday, 8 May, 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
Edinburgh Live
09-05-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Chilling moment hooded Edinburgh man runs from 'gangland firebombing' on driveway
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Footage of a hooded thug running from a property after a 'firebomb attack' has emerged.. This comes after a white Defender was torched at David McMillan's home, a close friend of caged cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson. The incident happened at around 6.30pm on Thursday, May 8. The clip shows a man wearing a black balaclava and jacket running from the scene as the vehicle goes up in flames. The footage, set to the song 'Liar Liar' by Avicii, is understood to have been released by shadowy underworld crime syndicate calling themselves Tamo Junto. The group has claimed responsibility for a wave of gangland attacks and is understood to be controlled by a new Dubai-based crime lord, reports the Daily Record. A source said: "The family were in their back garden having a barbecue when the car was set on fire. You can see the guy who torched the car running away." Images from the scene show the melted luxury motor in the driveway. It was claimed that a child was in the back of the vehicle while shopping was being unloaded into the home. The source added: "The kid was in the back of the car after it returned from the shops. As shopping was being unloaded by an adult, someone firebombed it." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox It is understood that the thugs responsible made off in a car similar to a Volkswagen Passat. It is not yet known if anyone was injured in the incident. It comes weeks after the home was also targeted on April 17. David McMillan's house - which had children sleeping inside - was targeted by two masked thugs who set the front door on fire before fleeing. The attack happened on the six year anniversary of the assassination of Trainspotting T2 star Bradley Welsh who was pals with McMillan, 54. A source said: "There were kids inside the house so McMillan is absolutely raging. "Kids and women are usually kept out of disputes but these guys are absolutely ruthless. Choosing to target McMillan on Welsh's death anniversary is no coincidence." The source explained that Mr Big has moved on to Edinburgh again after his enforcers in Glasgow had to lie low due to 'heat' from the police. He added: "Mr Big's enforcers in Glasgow were feeling a lot of heat in Glasgow from the cops so have taken a back step for the time being. "It was the same in Edinburgh a few weeks ago but there's less police on the streets now so the boys over there are active again. The Daniel family shouldn't get too comfortable because he isn't through with them." A Police Scotland spokesperson said at the time: "We were made aware of a fire at a property on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh shortly after 2am on Thursday, 17 April, 2025. (Image: Supplied/Daily Record) "The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and no one was injured. It is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing." A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 1.46am on Thursday, 17 April, to reports of a dwelling fire on Pitcairn Grove, Edinburgh. "Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and specialist resources to the scene where firefighters worked to extinguish a fire affecting a two-storey property. There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene at 2.57am after ensuring the area was made safe." Bradley Welsh's killer, Sean Orman, was also found guilty of the attempted murder of McMillan in a separate machete attack. David McMillan's son, also named David, told Welsh's murder trial how three masked men burst into his Edinburgh home and one began "hacking" at his father with a blade. McMillan snr spent five days in hospital after suffering a fractured skull, a small bleed on the brain, and a double fracture to the arm which needed a metal plate inserted.. The younger David told the High Court in Edinburgh at the time about how he fought off a machete-wielding thug using a replica prop from The Walking Dead TV show. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. On the witness stand, he said he'd been upstairs at the family home in the city's Morningside with his girlfriend when he heard "screaming from my mum" and "got the impression that someone was in the house who should not have been in the house". He described grabbing the "lightweight" prop from the hit series about zombies, which looked like a wooden staff wrapped in barbed wire, but was actually hollow and made only of plastic. After going downstairs with the plastic bat, David jnr said he saw "a man standing over my dad in the kitchen hacking at him with a large sword". He added: "My mum was standing there screaming. My dad was on the floor." David said he'd hit the man attacking his dad over the head and the assailant "stumbled back out the kitchen door" and fell over. The three men were wearing black tracksuits and woollen balaclavas with holes for eyes which looked like they came from a "robbery movie", he said. At least one of the other men had a machete, he said, and both looked "a little sheepish" during the actual attack. After closing the kitchen door, David said one of the other men did try to "wrestle" it back open after he closed it and the trio then fled. A 999 call made by David, who had suffered a hand injury, was played to the court where he said to the operator: "We don't want police. We just need an ambulance."
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hooded firebomb thug seen running from driveway of plush home after torching kingpin's pal's car
A car at the home of mob boss Mark Richardson's pal David McMillan was targeted yesterday afternoon. Disturbing footage has been released showing a hooded thug running from the driveway of gangster Mark Richardon's close pal after a firebomb attack. A white Defender was torched at David McMillan's plush Edinburgh property in the city on Thursday, May 8, at around 6.30pm. The clip shows a man wearing a black balaclava and black jacket running from the scene as the motor bursts into flames. The disturbing footage was set to the song 'Liar Liar' by Avicii and released by Mr Big's enforcers Tamo Junto, a faceless group who have claimed responsibility for a wave of gangland attacks. A source said: "The family were in their back garden having a barbecue when the car was set on fire. 'You can see the guy who torched the car running away." Images from the scene show the melted luxury motor in the driveway. It was claimed last night a child was in the back of the vehicle while shopping was being unloaded into the home. A source added: "The kid was in the back of the car after it returned from the shops. As shopping was being unloaded by an adult, someone firebombed it." It is understood that the thugs responsible made off in a car similar to a Volkswagen Passat. It is not yet known if anyone was injured in the incident. It comes weeks after the home was also targeted on April 17. David McMillan's house - which had children sleeping inside - was targeted by two masked thugs who set the front door on fire before fleeing. The attack happened on the six year anniversary of the assassination of Trainspotting T2 star Bradley Welsh who was pals with McMillan, 54. A source said: "There were kids inside the house so McMillan is absolutely raging. "Kids and women are usually kept out of disputes but these guys are absolutely ruthless. "Choosing to target McMillan on Welsh's death anniversary is no coincidence." The source explained that Mr Big has moved on to Edinburgh again after his enforcers in Glasgow had to lie low due to 'heat' from the police. He added: "Mr Big's enforcers in Glasgow were feeling a lot of heat in Glasgow from the cops so have taken a back step for the time being. "It was the same in Edinburgh a few weeks ago but there's less police on the streets now so the boys over there are active again. "The Daniel family shouldn't get too comfortable because he isn't through with them." A Police Scotland spokesperson said at the time: 'We were made aware of a fire at a property on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh shortly after 2am on Thursday, 17 April, 2025. 'The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and no one was injured. 'It is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.' A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: 'We were alerted at 1.46am on Thursday, 17 April, to reports of a dwelling fire on Pitcairn Grove, Edinburgh. 'Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and specialist resources to the scene where firefighters worked to extinguish a fire affecting a two-storey property. 'There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene at 2.57am after ensuring the area was made safe.' Bradley Welsh's killer, Sean Orman, was also found guilty of the attempted murder of McMillan in a separate machete attack. David McMillan's son, also named David, told Welsh's murder trial how three masked men burst into his Edinburgh home and one began 'hacking' at his father with a blade. McMillan snr spent five days in hospital after suffering a fractured skull, a small bleed on the brain, and a double fracture to the arm which needed a metal plate inserted.. The younger David told the High Court in Edinburgh at the time about how he fought off a machete-wielding thug using a replica prop from The Walking Dead TV show. On the witness stand, he said he'd been upstairs at the family home in the city's Morningside with his girlfriend when he heard 'screaming from my mum' and 'got the impression that someone was in the house who should not have been in the house'. He described grabbing the 'lightweight' prop from the hit series about zombies, which looked like a wooden staff wrapped in barbed wire, but was actually hollow and made only of plastic. After going downstairs with the plastic bat, David jnr said he saw 'a man standing over my dad in the kitchen hacking at him with a large sword'. He added: 'My mum was standing there screaming. My dad was on the floor.' David said he'd hit the man attacking his dad over the head and the assailant 'stumbled back out the kitchen door' and fell over. The three men were wearing black tracksuits and woollen balaclavas with holes for eyes which looked like they came from a 'robbery movie', he said. At least one of the other men had a machete, he said, and both looked 'a little sheepish' during the actual attack. After closing the kitchen door, David said one of the other men did try to 'wrestle' it back open after he closed it and the trio then fled. A 999 call made by David, who had suffered a hand injury, was played to the court where he said to the operator: 'We don't want police. We just need an ambulance.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
