PALMETTO BAY, Fla. — A Palmetto Bay Village Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, when residents are expected to voice their thoughts on Councilman Steve Cody’s Facebook post about the assassination of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Some of Cody’s colleagues on the dais called his remarks last week “horrific” and “vile.”
Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer issued a press release Monday morning, vowing to halt Village Council business until Cody resigns.
“I have received over 100 messages and phone calls from residents demanding that Steve Cody step down,” Merwitzer said in a statement. “His vile comments crossed every line of decency. They belittled a man’s life and brought shame to our entire community.”
Merwitzer said he expects large crowds at Monday night’s Village Council meeting and will listen to residents who wish to speak before moving to adjourn the meeting.
“We need to give residents their voice first,” Merwitzer said. “But if the council ignores the will of the community, I will do what the community has asked and move to adjourn every meeting until he resigns. You cannot call for someone’s resignation and then conduct business with them as if nothing happened. That would be a failure of moral courage.”
Cody posted an image containing a quote from Kirk that read, “I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.”
Above the image, Cody remarked, “Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords: Smith & Wesson. Hallowed be their names.”
It was made in the wake of Kirk’s shooting death while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham called the post “horrific” and urged Cody to step down.
“This was a loss that was egregious and violent,” Cunningham said. “We support an entire community of people. When I saw the post, I thought, ‘What kind of message does this send to the community?’”
Cody took down the post and apologized in a lengthy statement titled, “I screwed up.”
But that’s not satisfying some residents and fellow council members.
“It is disgusting, it is vile, and I agree: Councilman Cody should resign,” Councilwoman Marsha Matson said.
Residents and elected officials gathered at a protest at Palmetto Bay Village Hall on Thursday to share their displeasure.
“He should be removed from his post,” resident Linda Miller said.
Merwitzer called Cody’s comments “unbecoming of an elected official.”
“It is things like that that should cause someone to have to resign,” Merwitzer said.
Cody’s apology post on Facebook made no mention of a resignation.
Instead, it said, in part: “To the Kirk Family, my sincere condolences during this difficult time, and apologies for my statements I made that caused you further distress. And to anyone who was offended or hurt by my post, particularly those impacted by gun violence, I extend my sincere and profound apologies.”
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