Tampa City Council chairman Orlando Gudes faces 19 accusations in sexual harassment probe

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa City Council chairman Orlando Gudes has been "credibly" accused of harassing a female employee, according to the findings of an outside investigation commissioned by the city. 

A note for our readers: Some may find the topics and comments included in this report offensive. Reader discretion is advised.

The 60-page report follows an independent investigation commissioned by the city. It details the 19 allegations made against Gudes, 18 of which were "likely…to have occurred," including making sexual gestures, making derogatory comments about women, and calling an employee "Celie," a reference to a character in the movie "The Color Purple."

The city-issued summary of the complaint, which was made by an employee who was under the supervision of Gudes, says "the harassment did not include sexual advances but rather frequent offensive conduct and abuse."

The allegations include name-calling, references to Mayor Jane Castor’s sexuality, comments about the employee’s underage daughter’s physical appearance, and inappropriate attire, among other things.

According to the report, Gudes "fully admits only" to a handful of the allegations and said in other cases the claims were false or that the employee mischaracterize or misunderstood Gudes' intent.

In July of 2021, Gudes told human resources her role in his office "was not working out," and asked her to be transferred to a department she had already worked in.

The report says, "Mr. Gudes, 'did not want to termininate,' the Claimant because she had a daughter and needed insurance for a serious health condition.... Had human resources not accommodated the request (and it had no obligation to do so), the Claimant would have been termininated, without any recourse. Although the transfer allowed the Claimant to remain a city employee, it resulted in a reduction of her compensation in excess of$20,000 per year.'"

Comments regarding sexuality

In Gudes’s response, he denies allegations he made derogatory comments about Mayor Jane Castor’s sexuality and compared the employee who made the complaint to the mayor.

 "The claimant alleges that the Respondent referred to a City employee with a homophobic slur and said that the employee was ‘in the same club as the mayor. She's in the ********** club." 

The report says that Gudes "notes his ‘understanding’ that the Claimant is not a lesbian, the fact that the comment was not made to or about the Claimant, and his mindfulness of the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community."

Gudes argues that the comment would not be evidence of harassment, but regardless, "did not make these statements."

Comments regarding the employee’s underage child

According to the report, Gudes comments to the employee’s daughter, who is a minor, that she needed to stand up straight because she, "had really big boobs and if [she] kept standing like that your boobs will be down to here."

Those statements were corroborated by the claimant's daughter, the report said.

Home delivery of work documents

The employee who made the complaint told investigators that on one occasion she went to Gudes’ home to deliver work-related documents. 

The report says Gudes, "answered the door wearing no shirt and boxer-style undergarments and told her to come in the house."

The employee told investigators she commented on his attire. Gudes told investigators after the employee commented on his attire, he put on long pants. 

The employee said they do not remember Gudes changing clothes.

Speaking in front of interns

An allegation in the report says Gudes overheard an employee and an intern discussing a book written by former first lady Michelle Obama. 

During the conversation, Gudes allegedly chimed in to make comments about one of Michelle Obama’s daughters.

The report said Gudes commented that the young Obama had a "hot body" and that he "bet she was wild."

Gudes later said he did not remember making the comments.

Multiple accusations of commenting on people’s bodies and physical appearance

Gudes responded to several accusations that he made comments about the employee’s and other people’s physical appearances. 

One complaint says Gudes made inappropriate remarks about a city official's body and sex life at that city official’s retirement party. Another complaint said Gudes told the employee she needed to have liposuction "because she was a little fat around [her] middle section."

Complaints listed in report

The following complaints are written as stated in the report. The report refers to other unnumbered complaints.

1. Claimant claims she was called "Celie" on occasion by Respondent in May 2019.
2. Claimant claims Respondent said in early summer 2019 that he would not share a bank account with a woman.
3. Claimant claims that in June 2019 Respondent made comments about her daughter's posture, her daughter's breasts, and that he made a hand gesture.
4. Claimant claims that in July or August 2019 that she was told by another person that Respondent made a comment about Sasha Obama. Claimant admits that she did not hear the comment.
5. Claimant claims that in the Summer of 2019 Respondent made a comment about another person using a pejorative slang term for a lesbian.
6. Claimant asserts that in the evening after a party in August 2019, Respondent made a comment about the body of a former city employee. Again, this comment was not about the Claimant or the Claimant's body.
7. Claimant asserts that Respondent made a comment about the sex life of the Mayor and her spouse in December 2019.
8. Claimant asserts that during a conversation around January 2020, Respondent stated that she looked nice at a party, but he thought she would wear something sexier and that he thought she would wear braids. She also asserts that in response to Claimant stating that she was not going to get plastic surgery, Respondent said that she did not need plastic surgery, but she could use a little liposuction.
9. Claimant asserts that during a conversation sometime after January 6111 but before March 1, 2020, Respondent used profanity in stating that he was not having sex with an activist. Again, this alleged comment was not about the Claimant.
10. Claimant asserts that in April 2020, Respondent answered the door wearing boxer shorts. Claimant admitted that there was nothing sexual about the interaction.
11. Claimant asserts that sometime between approximately April and June 2020, when Respondent was trying to reach Claimant, her daughter told Respondent that she was taking a shower and Respondent told Claimant's daughter to tell Claimant to "take a good one."
12. Claimant alleges that in June or July 2020 Respondent sniffed the air near her and said it smelled like she had a man in there today.
13. Claimant claims that in November 2020, while discussing the above incident, Respondent used the word "twat."
14. Claimant alleges that in early 2021 Respondent called a male City Council member a "p**** m***********" while on speakerphone in the car when Claimant's daughter was in the car with her.
15. Claimant asserts that in June or July 2021 Respondent said to another employee that women should keep their mouths shut.
16. Claimant asserts that in June or July 2021 Respondent asked her if she was going through menopause.
17. Claimant asserts that the Respondent stated in July 2021 that the City Attorney [not the claimant] is overly sensitive.
18. Claimant asserts that the Respondent called another employee "Fox" or "Foxy."
19. Claimant asserts that during her employment Respondent said that she was overly sensitive.

"A hostile working environment"

Investigators concluded Gudes, "…created a hostile working environment by comments and conduct, which a reasonable person of your sex would find offensive," referring to the employee who made the complaint.

The office of the mayor responded Monday, saying the city has no authority to discipline or take action against Gudes, an elected official, but the employee who made the complaint may also file a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or Florida Commission on Human Relations, in which case, the city of Tampa must respond or settle. The employee may also file a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics.

The city issued a statment from Mayor Jane Castor, saying: 

"Since Orlando Gudes is an elected official, I have no authority over him. However, if he were a city employee, he would be fired over these credible and corroborated sexual harassment revelations. I know from many years in law enforcement that it takes a great deal of courage for a victim to make harassment and hostile work environment allegations against any supervisor, let alone one as powerful as a city council chairman."

Gudes responds

Gudes’ response to the allegations was included in the report. In it, his attorney denied any unlawful behavior, denied the allegations, and said Gudes apologized for any words that caused the employee discomfort.

Gudes said he admits only that he called the employee "overly sensitive" and "sensitive to criticism," that he referred to another city official as a "fox" and "foxy" with the city official and others present, and that he used "a vulgar term for the vagina when he was explaining to the Claimant that he was not looking at her crotch."

Gudes was quoted in the report, saying:

"While I disagree with the entirety of the findings in the report .... I do accept responsibility for comments that I made, while not sexual harassment, were not appropriate for the workplace." 

"I made the mistake of hiring a friend and not establishing boundaries for the relationship because the dynamic had changed."

"These circumstances led me to make comments that were not appropriate in the workplace but would not be uncommon among old friends, which is what I considered us at the time."

"Many of the accusations are false and there are certain remarks that I have been accused of making that I have denied and must continue to categorically deny."

"However, I admit that some of the statements are true, though unfortunately taken out of context." 

"Additionally, I believe there are ways I can improve on effectively communication with and managing others, and to assist me with this, I have decided to engage the services of an Executive Coach, Gena Cox, Ph.D., at my own expense. It is my hope that through this process I can further develop my own leadership skills and workplace sensitivity so that I can be at my best to better serve my constituents and this City." 

The statement concludes with Mr. Gudes' acceptance of responsibility "for comments I made" and apologies for "his words that caused [the Claimant] discomfort.

"In response to Gudes' claim that he "failed to establish new boundaries," the city of Tampa’s Human Resources Department said, "A previous relationship between a supervisor and employee does not create license to harass the employee... It is not necessary to establish ‘new boundaries’ after an employer hires a friend."

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