As a press conference held by Bob Buckhorn and Police Chief Jane Castor began winding down the morning after the end of the Republican National Convention, the mayor spoke out before reporters left the first floor conference room inside the Tampa Municipal Office Building.
“This is Sam Sodos’ last press conference," he said, eliciting a spontaneous round of applause in the room toward the longtime News Channel 8 reporter, who is moving on to becoming a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
"Now she's going to be an obstacle to all of you doing your jobs," Buckhorn cracked. "She’s going to be on this side of the podium giving you all hell, denying your freedom of information requests and saying she has no comment whatsoever, (and) that David Gee is the greatest sheriff in the history. Sam, we love ya, it’s been a long time."
By that point Sodos had ran out of the room with tears smeared across her face.
This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2012.