Councilman Chandler Langevin Files Federal Lawsuit Claiming Palm Bay Violated His Free Speech Rights

Langevin censure passed on a 3-2 vote

BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA — Palm Bay Councilman Chandler Langevin has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Palm Bay after being formally censured by his fellow council members for social media remarks targeting Indian immigrants.

The lawsuit, filed following the council’s Oct. 16 vote, claims the city violated Langevin’s free speech rights by disciplining him over statements he made as an elected official.

The censure passed on a 3-2 vote and followed weeks of public controversy surrounding Langevin’s posts that included comments such as “Deport every Indian immediately” and “There’s not a single Indian that cares about the United States.”

Critics, including residents and Indian American community groups, condemned the remarks as xenophobic and unbecoming of a public official.

The resolution accused Langevin of conduct “unbecoming of an elected member” and of improperly using city letterhead in correspondence.

As part of the action, the council restricted some of his privileges, requiring majority approval for him to place items on future agendas, barring him from participating in certain reports, and removing him from city committees.

WATCH: The Palm Bay City Council voted 4-1 to request that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspend City Councilman Chandler Langevin from office after hearing four hours of public testimony, with dozens of Indian-Americans filling council chambers and an overflow room.

Langevin, who is represented by attorney and former state representative Anthony Sabatini, known for taking on First Amendment cases, maintains that the council overstepped its authority.

“This is clearly retaliatory,” Sabatini said, adding that the city “punished a sitting elected official simply for expressing his opinions.”

The lawsuit seeks to overturn the censure and have the city pay legal fees, though Sabatini said they are not seeking additional damages beyond costs.

Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina and other council members defended the censure, describing Langevin’s rhetoric as harmful to Palm Bay’s reputation and divisive to the community.

“Our responsibility is to represent all residents,” Medina said during the meeting. “Speech that targets any group of people does not reflect the values of this city.”

Indian American advocacy organizations—including Hindus for Human Rights—have also called for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to suspend Langevin from office. The governor’s office has not commented publicly.

Langevin, who has refused to resign, insists his comments are protected political speech. He said the lawsuit is not about money but about “standing up for constitutional freedoms.”

The case underscores a growing national tension between elected officials’ free speech rights and the ethical standards to which they are held. Legal experts say the outcome could influence how local governments handle discipline against their own members for speech made outside official proceedings.

As of this week, the City of Palm Bay has not issued a formal response, citing pending litigation. The federal court filing is expected to move forward in the coming days.

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