Dear City Council, I am writing to demand the immediate resignation of Chief of Staff Heather Fagan due to her role in covering up critical information related to the Pulse nightclub tragedy. Recently released evidence and emails dating back to 2016 (attached), shows that Fagan actively directed City staff to mislead reporters and withhold key information regarding code violations at Pulse.
Specifically, when asked in 2016 about the photo depicting a Coke beverage cooler obstructing an exit at Pulse, the City falsely claimed the image had already been made public. This photo was not made public until my public records request.
New York Times journalist Frances Robles inquired about this very issue and photograph, only to have her questions deflected by Ashley Papagni, following direct instructions from Fagan to limit responses and avoid addressing permitting concerns. Fagan instructed Ashley Papagni to tell the reporter she only represents the Fire Department—not Code Enforcement—to shut down further questioning.
This deception is unacceptable and we have many more documented instances of this repeated behavior…