One candidate for city commission resents how Battie has treated his wife.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: July 17, 2024
Host: The defamation lawsuit against Sarasota City Commissioner Kyle Battie is reaching the next stage: Electoral politics. One city commission candidate, who happens to be the plaintiff’s husband, brought up the court case at the city commission meeting this week. Ramon Lopez has that story.
Ramon Lopez: The latest installment in the Franklin v Battie libel lawsuit drama unfolded at the Monday, July 15th Sarasota City Commission public hearing. At issue is the pending litigation involving vocal and local community activist Kelley Franklin, and Sarasota City Commissioner Kyle Battie.
Two weeks ago, the city commissioners backed Battie, voting 4-0 to cover $25,000 in legal fees related to the malicious-intent lawsuit filed by Franklin against Battie. City Attorney Robert Fournier and the elected commissioners said the City of Sarasota is responsible for Battie’s legal defense because he was acting as an elected official when he allegedly defamed Franklin. They fell in line with Judge Stephen Walker of the 12th Judicial Circuit Court, who in mid-June approved a motion to dismiss Franklin’s lawsuit. He ruled that statements made by Battie at the January 12 city hearing — which portrayed Franklin as a racist — were delivered in his official capacity.
This past Monday the commissioners voted 4-0, with Battie recused, to continue covering Battie’s mounting legal bills, as Franklin has vowed to take her case to the Florida Supreme Court, if necessary. Battie thanked his fellow commissioners for their support.
Kyle Battie
Kyle Battie: No one expected this to get to this degree. But you know, this is where we are. All I can do is, just thank the commission and thank the community, each and every one of you, for your support that’s been shown. And hopefully cooler heads will prevail and there can be some type of conversation or resolution or whatever. But if not, then I guess this is the route that we get, the road we’ll travel.
RL: Battie previously commented on the lawsuit saying:
KB: I’ve been called names by this individual. It’s almost like a public lynching. It’s shameful for what’s going on. She continues to pursue this. This is on her. It’s not on us. It’s not on me. It’s not on my character. But I’ll continue to go on and stand my ground as I’m sure they probably will as well, they’re perfectly within their right.
RL: Ron Kashden — Franklin’s husband, and a candidate for the City Commission challenging Mayor Liz Alpert — spoke at the meeting’s public comment period. He took offense at Battie’s remarks.
Ron Kashden: At the last commission meeting, he stated, “This is on her.” Now, to my ears, that’s synonymous with, “She deserved it; She had it coming.” Now, these are chilling phrases. I mean, words that are been used to justify abusive and terrible acts.
Ron Kashden
RL: Kashden’s dustup with the elected city official on Monday led to a rebuttal from Battie.
KB: They have unlimited resources. They can drag this out and that’s their plan. The only resolution is to try and shame me and my name and vilify it as much as possible. And if they so choose to continue, they were perfectly within their right. The ball is in her court in terms of what she’s going to do. It’s not on her in some sort of, in a way that is met with any type of malice or ill content or whatever.
RL: City Commissioner Debbie Trice just wishes the lawsuit would go away, perhaps through mediation.
Debbie Trice: I’m disappointed that this has not been resolved yet. I would wish, and I still wish, that the two parties would agree to mediation.
RL: This is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
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