Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has suspended the state attorney for the Orlando area, Monique Worrell, accusing her of neglecting her duties. Worrell, a Democrat, was removed from her position as chief prosecutor for Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit Court during a press conference in Tallahassee. This is the second time in a year that DeSantis has suspended an elected Democrat from office. DeSantis stated that refusing to enforce Florida's laws endangers communities and victimizes innocent people. Worrell referred to the move as a "political hit job" by a "weak dictator." The governor's action comes after two police officers were shot and injured during a traffic stop in Orlando. The local police union accused Worrell of being lenient on crime, a claim echoed by DeSantis. Worrell defended her office's actions, stating that she upholds the law and does not determine who gets released on bond. Worrell, who was elected in 2020, signed a pledge in June 2021 that prosecutors would avoid criminalizing individuals seeking gender-affirming care. DeSantis has been increasingly focused on Worrell following a shooting in Orlando where three people were killed. The suspect had previously been arrested on a weapons charge that was dismissed. Families of the victims have defended Worrell and criticized DeSantis for political opportunism. Last August, DeSantis suspended another elected state attorney, Andrew Warren, after a brief investigation.
DeSantis was annoyed that Warren had signed it, along with a separate statement about refraining from using resources to pursue cases against women who have abortions and doctors who perform them. DeSantis referred to these actions as "liberal" and described them as a "disease" that he would not allow to spread in Florida.
Warren filed a lawsuit against DeSantis, and although a U.S. District Court judge agreed that DeSantis had violated the state's constitution and Warren's First Amendment rights by suspending him, the judge ruled that he could not interfere in a state matter.
Two weeks after his suspension, Warren filed a lawsuit in federal court against DeSantis, claiming "retaliation" and arguing that his First Amendment rights had been violated. Earlier this year, a federal district judge ruled that DeSantis had indeed violated Warren's First Amendment rights and the Florida Constitution.
However, the judge stated that the court did not have the authority to reinstate Warren as state attorney.
Shortly after Worrell's suspension, Warren released a statement criticizing DeSantis.
"This is yet another illegal and unconstitutional attack on democracy by a small, fearful man who is desperate to salvage his political career," Warren said. "He desires to behave as a tyrant, yet he is truly a timid individual who has consistently ignored the principles of justice and the wishes of the electorate to conceal himself.."
Democratic state lawmakers condemned the suspension. Congressman Maxwell Frost, who represents Orlando, claimed that DeSantis had been trying to build a case against Worrell for months but took action now because "his presidential campaign is failing."
State Rep. Rita Harris (D-Orlando) called it a "blatant abuse of power" targeted at the only Black female state attorney in Florida.
On Wednesday, DeSantis appointed Andrew A. Bain, an Orlando judge, to replace Worrell. DeSantis and other officials left after their press conference without taking questions.
During the news conference, Bain stated that he would work to "restore trust in the law, restore public confidence," while Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd praised DeSantis's decision and stated, "none of this would have been achievable if we didn't have a governor, Governor DeSantis, who stated, 'I will do what is ethical.'".
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, a Republican, claimed that Worrell had dismissed or declined to file charges at a higher rate than any other state attorney in Florida. She additionally referenced Democratic authorities in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach regions who she asserted had considerably lesser rates of disregarding or abstaining from submitting accusations. as a candidate who is tough on crime during his presidential campaign and often highlights his suspension of Warren in his speeches.
" I ousted him from his position, and we guaranteed the enforcement of law in the state of Florida," he proclaimed to a round of applause at a barn in Tama, Iowa on Saturday.
DeSantis is currently polling far behind former president Donald Trump in the GOP primary. The suspension of Worrell, which was first reported by Fox News, will provide DeSantis with another example to showcase to voters as he argues that he has been more daring than other Republican leaders in taking bold actions to achieve conservative goals.
His struggling presidential campaign has experienced multiple shake-ups, and this week campaign officials announced that James Uthmeier, DeSantis's chief of staff in the governor's office, would take a "leave of absence" to become campaign manager. Uthmeier played a significant role in DeSantis's decision to suspend Warren.