Huntington Beach City Councilman and UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz has officially resigned from his position that became effective on Tuesday night. The decision came due to “character assassination” by members of the media. This was a decision made on behalf of his family as his two sons were sent home from school after arriving without wearing face masks.
Midnight Mania! @TitoOrtiz resigns from #HuntingtonBeach city council following ‘character assassination’ #UFC https://t.co/bWT8zZHW6R
— MMA mania (@mmamania) June 2, 2021
The face mask requirement came for all students and teachers at all Ocean View District schools. Ortiz has gone public with his views on how ineffective face masks are, referring to the COVID-19 safety protocols as a conspiracy.
“This job isn’t working for me,” Ortiz said in an in-person city council meeting, which was the first of the year.
“As of recent, the attacks against me have moved into involving my family,” Ortiz said Tuesday, adding, “When my children’s safety becomes a matter, I’m a father and I’m going to protect my children.”
A native of Huntington Beach, Ortiz was elected back in November 2020, but his tenure experienced major difficulty from the start of his term. Some residents and officials at City Hall expressed concern and frustration over his decision not to wear a mask at City events and voiced against vaccinations.
In February, Ortiz filed an unemployment claim against the city with the California Employment Development Department, despite earning a stipend and expense allowance as a city council member. The unemployment filing went public in April.
“From day one, when I was sworn in, I was met with hostility and judgment,” Ortiz said in his resignation statement, alleging that he has been “the sole focus of character assassination each and every week with multiple news stories (containing) personal information all to slander and defame my name.”
Ortiz also drew criticism while complaining that a restaurant named TK Burgers refused to serve him because he was maskless. He ripped the restaurant but later apologized after locals reacted to his critique of the restaurant. He has also committed a hit and run by crashing a boat into a private dock in Huntington Harbor before fleeing the scene, but a report from the Sheriff’s Department saw that Ortiz returned to the dock while trying to identify its owner.
Ortiz’s final comments were, “I thought I was up to this job … I’m sorry to let down many of my supportive constituents and I pray they’ll understand.”
