BREAKING: FBI interview details ties, infighting and legal strategy behind firing of Key West city manager Al Childress

FBI interview with Commissioner Clayton Lopez details personal ties, licensing concerns and agenda maneuvering that preceded the firing of former City Manager Albert Childress.

Longtime community leader and former City Commissioner Clayton Lopez. / CONTRIBUTED

A newly released FBI interview with longtime community leader and former City Commissioner Clayton Lopez provides a blunt, behind-the-scenes account of personal relationships, commission infighting and legal maneuvering that preceded the firing of former City Manager Albert Childress, now a central focus of a widening public-corruption investigation.

The FBI FD-302 report, dated Jan. 2, 2025, summarizes a Dec. 19, 2024, interview conducted at Lopez’s Key West home with FBI agents and a Monroe County State Attorney’s Office investigator. The interview was released as part of discovery in the so-called “Bubba Bozo Trio” investigation involving former City Attorney Ron Ramsingh, his brother and former Chief Building Official Rajindhar Ramsingh, and former Code Enforcement Director Jim Young.

The details of the findings of the investigation were included in a scathing Grand Jury Report released earlier this year. Se below to read the report.

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In the interview, Lopez traces decades-long personal ties with Ron Ramsingh — whom he repeatedly calls “Ronnie” — back to childhood and family relationships. Lopez described Ramsingh as a trusted legal figure and former high-profile prosecutor, while portraying Raj Ramsingh as more rigid and combative.

Lopez told investigators he was uneasy from the outset about the overlap between the City Attorney’s Office, the Building Department and the Planning Department once Raj Ramsingh returned to city government as chief building official. Those concerns intensified when Raj Ramsingh’s professional license came under scrutiny by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which oversees licensing for building officials and inspectors.

According to the FD-302, Lopez said he discussed the licensing issue with Ron Ramsingh while Raj Ramsingh was out of town and was told efforts were underway to resolve it. The issue was addressed shortly after Raj Ramsingh returned to Key West, Lopez said. At the time, Lopez said he did not connect the licensing issue to the subsequent move to terminate Childress.

However, other discovery exhibits now coming into focus suggest Childress had legitimate concerns about the close professional and familial relationship between the former city attorney and the chief building official — concerns that are now a central thread of the investigation.

Lopez acknowledged opposing the Corradino Report — an independent consultant review of the Building and Planning departments — and urged Childress not to advance it. Lopez characterized the report as unnecessary and said he believed issues could be resolved internally, though he conceded he could not recall specific findings and never retained a copy.

Text messages obtained by subpoena and reviewed with Lopez show frequent communication between Lopez and Ron Ramsingh in the weeks leading up to Childress’ firing.

In one June 5 exchange, Ramsingh texted that Childress was taking the Corradino Report off the agenda, prompting Lopez to reply, “Somebody got to him.”

Other texts show Ramsingh coordinating logistics for a special City Commission meeting and indicating that outside counsel had already been selected.

In one exchange, Ramsingh told Lopez he had hired Mayanne Downs to handle matters related to Childress’ termination. Downs later secured a long-term contract with the city paying $500 an hour and now serves as Ramsingh’s handpicked successor, a progression investigators are reviewing alongside other contracting and personnel decisions.

In addition serving as City Attorney for Orlando since 2007, Downs — according to a text from Ramsingh to Lopez — was also affiliated with the high-powered legal and lobbying firm GrayRobinson.

Downs served as GrayRobinson President and CEO from 2016-2019 and General Counsel from 2019 until her departure last year. In the past, GrayRobinson has provided legal and legislative lobbying services for the city of Key West.

According to news reports, Downs left GrayRobinson in 2024 to form her own firm — along with partner Jeff Aaron. They formed DownsAaron, and her partner also provides legal counsel to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

Lopez said Ramsingh asked him to sponsor the special meeting at which Childress was fired but insisted sponsorship did not commit him to a particular vote. Lopez said he did not want to fire Childress and was emotionally shaken in the days following the decision.

The FD-302 also records Lopez’s sharply critical views of fellow commissioners. Lopez described Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman as a “spoiled brat,” accusing him of grandstanding, delivering rehearsed speeches and publicly putting staff “in the hot seat,” conduct Lopez said he found disrespectful. Lopez said his relationship with Kaufman deteriorated over time despite early alignment on issues such as Black history and the African Cemetery.

Lopez also characterized Commissioner Jimmy Weekley as deeply political, well connected and difficult to challenge, noting stark contrasts between Weekley’s affluent district and Lopez’s District 6, which Lopez described as the poorest in the city.

The former commissioner spoke fondly of the late Mary Lou Hoover, calling her a friend and recalling her sharp questioning of candidates and outspoken style. Lopez joked that her questions became more pointed “the more she drank,” but said her bluntness reflected a commitment to accountability.

Lopez denied ever being bribed or coerced for his vote, though he acknowledged frequent attempts by constituents, activists and others to influence commission decisions. He said he deliberately avoided private conversations with Childress in the final days to prevent what he viewed as backroom dealings.

The FBI document states it contains neither findings nor conclusions and reflects only information provided by Lopez during the interview. The investigation remains ongoing.

The investigation remains ongoing, and new indictments could occur as evidence is examined by a newly empaneled Grand Jury.

This is an evolving story. Watch this space.