Tito Ortiz has retired from his position as Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem.
Ortiz had been in office since November of 2020, when he was voted in, to the chagrin of many. During his time on the city council, Ortiz was met with constant resistance from his peers, as the council attempted to remove Ortiz from office with a vote of no confidence, less than six months into his tenure as Mayor Pro Tem. This was primarily due to Ortiz’s outspoken views on the coronavirus pandemic and his vocal anti-mask-wearing stance.
During Huntington Beach’s first in-person city council meeting of the year, Ortiz announced that he would no longer be continuing his role with the city council, handing in his resignation effective immediately. Reading from a written statement, Ortiz stated the following:
“I was under the notion that I was in a bi-partisan position and that we all had a common goal that our city and our constituents could have. To put it frankly, that’s not the case.”
“From Day 1, I was sworn in and I was met with hostility and judgment. Being a public figure, nothing is new. However, to be the sole focus of character assassination each and every week, with multiple news stories and leaked personal information – all of which were in hopes to slander and defame my name”
Tito Ortiz announces his resignation from the Huntington Beach City Council. pic.twitter.com/vVzsLNf9zu
— Oscar Willis (@oscarswillis) June 2, 2021
He went on the state that:
“I thought I was up to this job, but I knew I had over 40,000 constituents who were there counting on me. As of recent, the attacks against me moved to involve my family. I now feel (that) their safety is in danger. To put it simply, this job isn’t working for me.”
Tito Ortiz will always be the Huntington Beach Bad Boy, but can no longer call himself the Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem.
