FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — The town manager of Fort Myers Beach was fired in a unanimous town council vote after it was discovered that his wife is a working adult performer.
News outlets nationwide have picked up on the story of Scott Janke's firing after an emergency council meeting Tuesday night called by Mayor Larry Kiker, who said he'd learned that afternoon of Janke's wife Anabela's profession. Council members voted 5-0 to fire Janke "without cause."
"At no time did we make a judgement call on the activities of Mr. Janke or his wife," Kiker told the Associated Press. "It's a matter of how effective he becomes after this situation. How much disruption there is."
According to local outlet The News-Press, however, a number of residents have called foul on the council for the firing. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous," said one such resident, Bobby Mimmo. "It shouldn't have an effect on his job description or performance."
Added fellow citizen David Richardson, "In this day and age, it's good that she has a job. As long as you have a job, you are probably doing OK."
Another resident, Nicole Cilley, noted that though a lot of locals might be upset about the decision, "had this information come out about our town manager and the opposite decision had been made, I think just as many people would have been upset."
Janke will receive a severance package of six months salary, or about $50,000, plus health benefits. He and Anabela, who works under the stage name Jazella Moore and is represented by A List Talent, were married last October and have three children. Anabela's identity was originally outed by porn outlet AINews.com.
The couple flys to New York tomorrow to be interviewed by the CBS Morning Show and Inside Edition about the scandal.
Janke himself told the AP, "Our heads are held high. We have nothing to be embarrassed about. We've done nothing wrong."
