PAHOKEE — On Wednesday, Pahokeeans heard from their mayor, Keith W. Babb Jr., via a social media post that he’d become aware of the petition drive underway seeking to recall himself, the vice mayor and one of two other Black city commissioners from office.

He wrote a response to the instrument he said he’d recently received notifying him of the movement, in a Facebook post around 3 a.m. Oct. 21, saying:

“I recently received an unofficial affidavit, advising me that a petition is being circulated within the City of Pahokee requiring signatures for a referendum vote for the removal of Mayor Keith W. Babb Jr., Vice Mayor Clara Murvin and Commissioner Benny L. Everett III (three of four African American elected officials). It is also known that a white commissioner and a disgruntled ex-vendor are working behind the scenes, encouraging and helping with this effort. Their affidavit, falsely claims that we, the three named commissioners, are incompetent and corrupt.

“They have recruited, of all people, an African American woman to serve as the chairman of this ill-conceived group,” the mayor continued.

“In the ninety-eight year history, since 1922, the incorporation of the City of Pahokee, there has not been one attempt, until now, to recall (removal from office) any city commissioner not having been convicted or in violation of any laws.

“I will personally be filing a counter-lawsuit against these individuals for slander.

“I trust that the majority of our residents will come to know how sad and ridiculous this attempted recall is.”

Then Babb listed the organizers who were named in the affidavit: Annie C. Coore, chairwoman, Eduardo M. Bernal, Bobby Colvin, Barbara Hatton and Juan “Johnny” Gonzales. He signed the message, “Respectfully, yours in Public Service; Mayor Keith W. Babb, Jr.”

In the day following his post, well over 100 comments were made regarding what he said, including multiple remarks in debate threads after individuals expressed their own opinions.

When one citizen questioned Babb’s retort that he would countersue the organizers, “How can you file a counter-lawsuit when no lawsuit has been filed, or against a group exercising their right under Florida Statute 100.3?” he responded this way:

“I can file a lawsuit for slander. If you like, you can join them; all you need to do is put your name on the affidavit and help to circulate it.”

Then the citizen replied, “Thank you for threatening me on FB. ... In my opinion, you are not fulfilling your obligations to the city and you are well aware of it.” She accused him of simply deflecting questions about his and the other commissioners’ performance in office. “You have continued to ignore the pleasure of the citizens who elected you, and this is their lawful recourse.” To which the mayor replied that she could challenge him in the March 2021 municipal election if she wished.

One of the organizers Babb named, Johnny Gonzalez (who’s also a member of the city’s Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board), took exception to being singled out.

He wrote: “Since you brought my name in this, let me tell you this clearly. You stated I am slandering you. I am not the IG (county inspector general). The petition being passed around is an official petition. Everything that is on there is from the inspector general and their investigation. Try suing them for slander ... I don’t tolerate threats nor slandering. By the way: Stop trying to make everything about a racial issue.”

To another person who asked about Gonzalez’s position with the city, he explained:

“We are passing around a petition based on issues within the commission, documented events and inspector general reports. All are official. He knows what he is doing. He wants to play the race card. He knows very well it isn’t about race. He knows the citizens were asking questions about certain things and they were ignored. These petitions are legal and citizens have the right to recall within reason.”

In a later thread, Babb denied that any racism was marring his attitudes. He explained to a critic, whom he presumed was a recall organizer: “I’ve been told that your group intentionally didn’t want to list the other black commissioner (Felisia Hill) at this time in your recall complaint because ... if you had targeted all four black commissioners all at the same time, it would have been too obvious to everyone that this was definitely racially motivated.” He said the recall petition sponsors “are not fooling anyone.”

Then he said, “Everyone knows that the only person on the current commission that your group supports and praises for the past year, has been only Regina.”

That would be Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and City Commissioner Regina Bohlen, the “white commissioner” Babb referred to in his original comment, who was elected in 2018. As observers of city commission meetings have noted, Babb usually either mispronounces or mangles Bohlen’s name when he speaks it, pronouncing it as “Boldin.” The twice monthly city commission meetings formerly were conducted in person and now are available exclusively online, with audio but no video, and no public audience.