ABOVE: Former St. Pete City Council candidate Scott Orsini at City Hall. Photo via Orsini’s Facebook page.
Update, 07/03/2019: Scott Orsini has dropped out of the race for St. Petersburg City Council.
“From the bottom of my heart, it hurts to have to end my run to represent the people of District 1 of Saint Petersburg,” Orsini shared via social media.
“After consulting with my family and my friends, I have made the decision that continuing on as a candidate for District 1 would not be of benefit to myself, my family, my supporters, or the City of St. Petersburg,” the post continues. “I would much rather throw in the hat now than to have these relentless, politically motivated attacks take any further toll on my family. I want to thank every individual that supported my candidacy and continues to stay by my side. As always, I will remain involved in my community as an advocate for the issues that matter most to all of us.”
Read Watermark’s original story below:
ST. PETERSBURG | St. Petersburg City Council candidate Scott Orsini has reviewed, removed and apologized for tweets referencing women and the LGBTQ community he describes as “crass, insensitive and immature.”
According to his campaign website, Orsini is “a native Floridian who has spent his entire career advocating for the most vulnerable members of our community.” He is running for St. Petersburg’s District 1 seat to replace the term-limited Charlie Gerdes.
“Dear family, friends, and supporters I want each of you to know first,” Orsini shared via social media June 29. “In the process of gearing up for my run for St Pete District 1 city council, I reviewed my past social media posts. I found that I posted a number tweets that were immature, insensitive, and childish.”
Orsini subsequently referenced a Tampa Bay Times story published June 30, “Council candidate tweeted he ‘puts the sugar in sugar daddy.’ Now he’s sorry.” The outlet details tweets that they describe as “vulgar and disparaging” about LGBTQ people and women, noting that Orsini also “wrote racially charged tweets about two local politicians.”
According to the Times, the tweet referencing the LGBTQ community was sent April 21, 2013. “I thought about getting a bicep tattoo and then I remembered it wasn’t 1992 and that I’m not a lesbian,” it read.
“I supported Sean Shaw because I’ve liked him ever since we ran together for the Florida house in 2014. Oddly enough I actually forgot he was black,” Orsini shared of the 2018 Florida Attorney General candidate on August 29. “[T]o me he was always just a really good guy who wanted to do the right thing.”
According to Orsini’s statement, the candidate reviewed a decade of social media posts, “approximately 29,000 tweets, retweets, and replies to tweets.” He notes that he “found in an effort to be humorous I tweeted a small number of tweets to and about women and the LGBTQ community that are crass, insensitive, and immature.”
“One particular tweet in 2013 mentions the LGBTQ community in an unflattering light that I know to be insensitive and immature,” it continues. “These are two constituencies that I have fought hard for in my professional career and have a magnitude of respect for. I sincerely apologize.”
Orsini further noted that while his tweets were insensitive, “they did not bully; they did not incite violence; and they did not discriminate. They were childish tweets that were made in an attempt to be clever or humorous. They were not. This is a humiliating and humbling experience and one that I will not repeat.”
Orsini’s statement concludes by noting that he will announce two community events that will address cyberbullying and insensitive online communications. “Together, we can make St Pete’s online discourse more respectful to all,” he shared.
You can read the full statement here:
Orsini will face Robert Blackmon and John Hornbeck in a primary election Aug. 27 before the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election Nov. 5.
