We have yet another case of an employee being fired for activities outside of work. The case of former Fort Myers beach, Florida town manager Scott Janke, however, is a bit different. He is being fired because of his wife Anabela Mota Janke’s work as a porn star. Mayor Larry Kiker called a city council meeting without Janke present and secured an unanimous vote of 5-0 to terminate his contract because of what his wife does for a living. Kiker’s action runs afoul of the privacy and free speech and free association rights of this couple. Yet, he is relying on a contract that allows Janke to be fired for good cause, bad cause or no cause at all.
Janke’s wife performs in adult films under the name Jazella Moore but her true identity was revealed on the Adult Industry News website in an article — though it is not clear which of the good people of Fort Myer were reading the website to notice.
Mayor Larry Kiker acknowledges that “the man didn’t do anything illegal” but that does not seem to bother him or his punishment of a couple for their lifestyle. He insists that “it’s obvious what the issue is.” City council member Bob Raymond was quite willing to throw wood on the pyre, “In these types of jobs, trust is a very important thing. If you lose that, you’re losing a big thing.” Good point. Citizens would like to trust mayors and city council members to focus on crime, the environment, schools and other issues — and not retaliate against citizens who have lifestyles that they do not agree with.
We have recently seen a variety of teachers, police officers, and others fired or disciplined for their conduct in their private time, here and here. This has included actions against people engaged in the porn industry, here and here and here and here.
For the story, click here.
Mayor Kiker says “it’s obvious what the issue is.” Since it’s not obvious to me what the issue is, or why there even is an issue, it would be interesting if the lord mayor would expand a bit on his comment.
Mayor Kiker is a self righteous ass, as were the board members.
What the man’s wife did is no reflection on his job performance, or even on his moral rectitude. I can only guess at what peccadillo’s are hidden in the backgrounds of the 6 men responsible.
They were probably jealous.
Agreed, but if the contract allows for discharge without cause then it doesn’t look like he has any actionable legal remedy.
Those guys only wish they could get someone like Janke’s wife.
Obviously, several of the 6 men are concerned that if they met the couple at a social function, Ms. Moore/Janke might inquire, “haven’t we met somewhere before, you sure look awfully familiar?”
From the likes of Gov. Sanford n’ Sen. Ensign, it is clear that your concern might best be placed with the proselytizers than the pleasurers.
I find it highly inappropriate that a man’s qualifications should be judged on the basis of what their family and spouses might be doing.. as you have pointed out this is not the first time that this has happened.. I find that we and especially the media tends to focus too much on issues that simply have no consequences what so ever… these are all attempts to take attention away from things that should be of priority!
Mike A writes: Mayor Kiker says “it’s obvious what the issue is.” Since it’s not obvious to me what the issue is, or why there even is an issue, it would be interesting if the lord mayor would expand a bit on his comment.
me: come on Mike. of course you know what the issue is,I know what it is, most of us here know what it is….. its about small minded people, what did Jonathan Swift call them? Lilliputians? Huynymns? getting all puffed up and self righteous about something that is none of their business. what this guy’s wife did for a living has no bearing on his job performance. It’s another move by the Uptight Morality Police. no more, no less. the sad thing is, and as others here have pointed out, how exactly were the citizens harmed by his wife’s chosen profession. it isn’t even his business if his wife chooses to make porn.
GWLawSchoolMom, sorry. I’m obviously not as good at sarcasm as I think I am.
MIke A writes: GWLawSchoolMom, sorry. I’m obviously not as good at sarcasm as I think I am.
sorry … its hot here and it warps my ordinary sense that everyone reads it the way I intended it to be read. forgive me if I sounded snotty.
still….. I just don’t think anyone should be fired because of the work someone in their families chooses to perform, uh, do.
isnt this really a matter of throwing stones at glass houses? I wonder how much questionable stuff one would find if they scratched the surface of the mayor’s life.
Only in America would a contract such as Kiker’s be legal. Even so, it takes a true yahoo to do what the Florida City mayor did.
(PS: Huynymns were paragons of reason and virtue. They would never do anything so stupid as this).
Got Sexual Repression?
Hey, there’s your new campaign slogan, Mr. Mayor. And I have a serious question. How do you sit with that stick placed where it is?
I bet you’d be less judgmental if you were getting some but by your picture and your deeds, I’m betting the ladies mostly think you’re a creep. Or maybe you spend a lot of time in airport bathrooms looking for “undercover” Senators while your wife wonders why she’s never getting any either. It’s been my experience that those who want to control the sex lives of others usually have issues of their own. I don’t know. Maybe you have a collection of children’s shoes. Is your dog nervous? Well, whatever is under your hood (nice double entendre is I say so myself), it’s clearly you with the issues, Mr. Mayor.
Oh, and here’s a word for you too, Mayor. Everyone should try to learn a new word every day. It improves not just your life, but others as well. I’m only trying to help . . .
Your homework is the word “relevat=nt”.
rel⋅e⋅vant, adj.(ˈrɛləvənt)
bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent: a relevant remark.
Used in a sentence:
What a man’s wife does on her own time is not relevant to his job performance as long as it’s not illegal or directly impacts his ability to perform.
lol
“relevant”
I blame the vodka and fingers with a mind of their own!
My guess is Larry should take a deep look in the mirror. I bet you anything and everything that the man’s got a filthy, guilty conscience. I assume he’s hiked the Appalachian trail even more than Sanford…
He should get his butt out of other peoples lives.
pardon me? 1, July 23, 2009 at 12:32 pm
They were probably jealous.
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Yes, I agree. I also think that he was the one who discovered her work.
icon writes: (PS: Huynymns were paragons of reason and virtue. They would never do anything so stupid as this).
which I why I posed the question. It’s been decades since I read Swift
What a joke. Where are laws to protect someone like Janke? there is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588
It is Ironic! Another city in Florida recently hired a city manager who had a gender change. The change in gender did not pose an issue! I also think this person was originally a Ft Myers
City manager! I could be wrong but I think I’m right.
These types of actions really affect rigtht to religious freedom, right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. it is probably constitutionally wrong.