Anne Geggis
Suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren released a video Sunday morning vowing to fight his removal from office and what he calls Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ attempt to “overthrow democracy.”
Warren, who was elected to his position once in 2016 and again in 2020, was suspended from office Thursday and a new State Attorney installed in his place. DeSantis said Warren had put himself above the law by saying he would not prosecute certain crimes.
But it’s DeSantis who has put himself above the law, Warren’s statement said.
“His plot to suspend me blatantly violates the most fundamental basis of our democracy — your vote,” Warren says in the video that was posted shortly after 9 a.m. on Sunday to his Twitter and Facebook accounts. “He is trying to overturn the results of a fair and free election and abusing his power to serve his own political ambition.”
The Governor’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the video Sunday morning.
Together, we will fight Ron DeSantis' abuse of power and restore the will of the voters. I hope you'll join me.
To support our effort to defend democracy, go to https://t.co/mebZt8It8i pic.twitter.com/Qo8pAU96xw
— Andrew Warren (@AndrewWarrenFL) August 7, 2022
At Thursday’s news conference, however, DeSantis said he was suspending Warren from office because of his signature on a pledge not to prosecute women for seeking abortions and statements about not prosecuting laws that prohibit gender-affirming care for minors. Also, DeSantis was surrounded by law enforcement officials who had beefs about crimes Warren’s office hadn’t prosecuted.
“When you flagrantly violate your oath of office, when you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty,” DeSantis said at Thursday’s event. “You have neglected your duty and you are displaying a lack of competence to be able to perform those duties.”
Warren has been making the rounds on national media, appearing on MSNBC news shows, The Reid Out with Joy Reid and American Voices with Alicia Menendez. Warren’s Sunday statement noted that a Judge had already found the abortion ban violated the Florida constitution and that no law prohibits minors from receiving gender-affirming care.
“He came down to Tampa — to Hillsborough County — to illegally remove me as part of some political circus,” Warren says in the video. “He did it because he wants to throw women and their doctors in jail based on a law that has already been found to violate Florida’s Constitution. He did it because he wants to enforce a law that discriminates against our LGBTQ community — a law that, at this point, doesn’t even exist.”
Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper found last month that the ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy violates the Florida Constitution’s right to privacy. The ruling is currently under appeal.
Warren is asking voters to support his fight.
“I hope you’ll stand with me,” Warren adds.
The video shows Warren standing in front of the pictures of his family, a steady one-camera shot. Safer Stronger Florida, a St. Petersburg-based political committee, paid for the statement. John T. Fox of Tampa, who is a political consultant, chairs the committee.
Warren’s Twitter bio still shows him as “State Attorney for Hillsborough County, FL (Tampa).” Christina Pushaw, the Governor’s spokeswoman, noted that Warren can no longer get into his office because his badge doesn’t work anymore.
“This is delusional,” she responded to him on Twitter Friday.
Most of the elected officials that DeSantis suspended previously simply left office and had been replaced. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel is an exception, however. After DeSantis suspended him, citing his response to the state’s worst school shooting, Israel went to the Florida Senate. But the Senate upheld DeSantis’ suspension of Israel and Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony was picked to take the post.
Warren noted in a news release accompanying his recorded statement that he did not have time to read the Governor’s order removing him, nor address his 300-member staff before an armed deputy escorted him from his office.
“Let me be clear: I’m not going down without a fight,” Warren said. “I’m a former federal prosecutor, the duly elected State Attorney, a native Floridian, and a proud American. I refuse to let this man trample on your freedoms to speak your mind, to make your own health care decisions, and to have your vote count.”
Warren is currently assembling a legal team to mount a “vigorous defense of his office and democracy,” the release says. Announcements about it will be forthcoming.
15 comments
adphotoman
August 7, 2022 at 12:57 pm
He’s elected to prosecute those individuals that violate the law. When he refuses to perform that function then it’s the Governor’s duty to remove him. It’s not up to him to comply based on whether he likes or agrees with the laws. Seems pretty simple.
Mari
August 7, 2022 at 1:26 pm
The laws were deemed unconstitutional and therefore he is upholding the law (read the article). Furthermore, every state’s attorney decides which cases to prosecute based on evidence provided, that is the very definition of their job. That is his job, not the job of police officers. If police officers decided which cases to prosecute, then the checks and balances of our democracy would be null and void. The bureaucracy of our government allows for a process which the government must abide by before removing anyone from an elected office. If that isn’t followed, then the governor’s actions are unconstitutional and the states attorney has grounds for reinstatement. Seems pretty simple.
Joe Corsin
August 7, 2022 at 5:53 pm
Neo nazi laws are not laws at all. Down with the dictator, down with the grifting hogs they protect, down with the militias who prop up these crooks.
Tom
August 7, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Wah Wah Wah, Soros Manchurian can run but can’t hide. Read the order moron. What a joke.
Warren Prosecutes a minister, silencing him and his church. What a human waste product. Where are you first amendment advocates?
This guy is clearly unprofessional and dishonest. He don’t get to decide, he’s took a oath, state statues to follow. His basic discretion is related to what charges to bring, not in ignoring law or oath.
Partisan hack prosecutor, clearly corrupted.
Good riddance !
Joe Corsin
August 7, 2022 at 5:54 pm
^ Vote RED to give a voice to neo nazi neanderthals such as this schizophrenic troll maniac.
Steven M. Harris
August 7, 2022 at 3:28 pm
Andrew Warren has no clue what is in Chapter 776 of the Florida Statutes. All he knows (actually feels) is that “Stand Your Ground” is something evil and wrong. He doesn’t understand the first thing about use of defensive force under the laws of Florida. His posted memoranda on incidents were absurdly poor. His charging decisions going both ways were never adequately explained. His lack of competence in this important area alone should be sufficient to remove him from office as State Attorney.
Whipper Skipperton
August 7, 2022 at 3:58 pm
Assphincter said what?
YYep
August 7, 2022 at 4:47 pm
As long as there’s a group of people you will always have a democracy maybe not the one you are happy with but a democracy. Now where are those flying things
Fromer whatever I have been trampled on even shackled over what 6 months and 27 days of solitary confinement
Elliott Offen
August 7, 2022 at 5:57 pm
Sorry to hear about the Baker Act but judging by your comment it probably needs to happen again.
Brandon
August 7, 2022 at 4:58 pm
His defense will be in front of the Florida Senate, whenever that will occur. In the meantime, go work for Garland in DC, just get the hell out of Florida.
Elliott Offen
August 7, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Garland needs to smash Trump, the Florida redneck terrorist militias, and all other dangerous propaganda pushers. They did it with the communists now they can do it to the fascists as well. Also the religious nutters… vanilla ISIS.
Darrell Clark
August 17, 2022 at 2:26 am
Smash Trump?!
And you call conservatives fascists??
Warren is a Sorros funded globalist puppet Floridians cant get rid of fast enough.
Hes soft on crime and pro drag queen story time..🤮
Get you head out of your arse and pay attention to reality.
Beijing Bidens crack smoking Son has the whole family compromised in a hooker honey pot.
Trump did more for we the people in 4 years then the last 4 administrations combined.!
Obame abd Pedo Joe his son calls him ripped of America over the bew energy act and now beijing biden is pushing ripp off 2.o with the green new deal!
%$$ Putin invaded Ukraine to stop the neo nazi backed puppet zalinsky. And to keep the federal reserves hands off the oil burrisna would sell under the petro dollar ponzi scheme ran by satanist pedophiles!
tom palmer
August 7, 2022 at 5:09 pm
The Florida Senate is likely a home-fried kangaroo court. Don’t expect justice in Talllahassee from those partisan hacks, including alleged AG Moody .
Dan
August 7, 2022 at 5:27 pm
Suspended this guy for something he MIGHT do. An elected official. Round Ronnie has a habit over overriding the will of Florida voters like he did in Key West and in Sarasota. Florida is run by an incompetent, irresponsible, obese toddler. Thats why this state is falling apart. Our schools are crumbling, our homeowners insurance market is collapsing, our housing costs are spiraling out of control. And swamp fatty has done nothing but flying to NYC begging those “liberal elites” for money. He’s a fat lazy fraud.
Just a comment
August 7, 2022 at 5:37 pm
I remember a Lefty side that condemned Americans for thinking that thought
I remember people being medically mistreated because they lost that position for a thought.
I remember well I can not elaborate
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