Anne Geggis
Gov. Ron DeSantis has done what no other Florida Governor in history has — suspended two elected State Attorneys. And the first to get suspended says DeSantis is acting out of a desperate attempt to bolster his floundering presidential campaign.
Suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, who was removed from his job last August, held a media availability following Wednesday morning’s suspension of Orlando-area State Attorney Monique Worrell to decry the move as “a dark day for democracy in the Sunshine State.”
“This is another illegal, unconstitutional attack on democracy by a small, scared man who is desperate to save his presidential campaign,” Warren said. “He wants to be a bully, but he’s actually a coward who has repeatedly violated the rule of law to cover up his own weakness.”
Ever since DeSantis officially launched his bid for the White House, his standing up against former President Donald Trump has been dropping as they compete for the Republican nomination.
DeSantis cited Worrell’s failure to prosecute actual crimes. And Warren was suspended for signing pledges regarding gender-affirming care and saying he wouldn’t prosecute violators of the state’s abortion ban. But Warren said DeSantis’ motives are really the same in both cases.
“A court found that he suspended me illegally, in violation of the state constitution, for politics and publicity and it appears that’s what’s happening here again,” Warren said.
Warren’s case against his suspension was heard in May by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Montgomery, Alabama.
In Worrell’s case, DeSantis’ executive order cites Worrell’s failure to get minimum mandatory sentences for gun crimes. It notes that out of 58 non-homicide robberies that involved firearms that the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office referred to Worrell’s Office in 2021 and 2022, only one had resulted in a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years.
But Warren said weighing in on prosecutorial discretion by suspending a State Attorney is not in keeping with the system’s design.
“If the State Attorney … ends up exercising discretion in a way that they (the voters) don’t agree with, then we have a perfect mechanism for removing her — and that’s at the ballot box,” he said.
Worrell has filed for re-election.
Warren said DeSantis’ thinking represents a slippery slope.
“What are we going to start doing? he asked, rhetorically. “Start suspending deputies because they hand out more tickets than warnings?”
Warren advised his fellow Democrat to stay strong and wished her well in fighting what he calls an illegal suspension.
“This is a Governor who has shown he’s willing to do whatever it takes to turn Florida into some kind of Chinese or North Korean-style regime,” he said. “Floridians who care about our democracy are standing with her and I wish her and her family the best as they’re going through this very difficult time.”
14 comments
Dont Say FLA
August 9, 2023 at 2:02 pm
Attention, Attention-Ho’ Police,
Please pick up Rhonda ASAP and put him in Attention Ho prison (known as Instragram, I believe)
The Little Guy is officially “governing” for the sake of attention, and nothing more.
eva
August 9, 2023 at 2:43 pm
My initial check is for $27,000. This is the first time I’ve actually earned something, and I’m very happy about it. I’m going to work even harder from now on and I can’t wait for my paycheck sb-11 the following week. For further information, click the home tab.
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Sing It
August 9, 2023 at 2:14 pm
Look at me, I’m Rhonda Dee
Lousy with CaCa Casey
I’m her little Chia Pet
From Gitmo Bay I am a vet
I never tortured nobody. I swears!
Patrick Cook
August 9, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Please note that both of these individuals are Democrats. If you happen to be a Republican then there are no consequences for a very blatant and public statement that you will not abide by the Florida Statutes. Our lopsided Legislature passed CS/CS/SB 1718 — Immigration (2023) which went into effect on July 1, 2023. On June 28, 2023 Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister publicly stated “We do not target individuals based on their immigration status – that’s the authority of federal agencies….” (See: https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/hillsborough-county-sheriff-releases-message-ahead-of-floridas-newest-immigration-law/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%20do%20not%20target%20individuals,with%20the%20new%20immigration%20law.)
Not ‘I’m going to use my prosecutorial discretion’, but a flat refusal to follow statutory requirements. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the above noted statute is absolutely overreaching and in some aspects, completely wrong. The point is if we are are removing individuals from duly elected posts for some improbable, and unproveable, slight then we surely should remove the man that publicly stated that he was not going to have his officers follow the new law.
Michael Enquist
August 9, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Hi there,
Is the current Governor actually term-limited? People keep saying so, but when I look in Florida State Constitution, Article VI, Section 4, part c, I do not see Governor on the list of offices that are limited to 8 years in a row.
Do y’all have a citation in Florida law that says we won’t have to put up with RD after 2027?
Below is the pertinent text. Governor is not in that list of 6 offices, unless Governor is an “office of the Florida cabinet”?
***
(c) No person may appear on the ballot for re-election to any of the following offices:
(1) Florida representative,
(2) Florida senator,
(3) Florida Lieutenant governor,
(4) any office of the Florida cabinet,
(5) U.S. Representative from Florida, or
(6) U.S. Senator from Florida
if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will have served (or, but for resignation, would have served) in that office for eight consecutive years.
History.—Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State July 23, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State October 31, 2014; adopted 2018.
Joe
August 9, 2023 at 5:05 pm
ARTICLE 4, SECTION 5. Election of governor, lieutenant governor and cabinet members; qualifications; terms.—
(b) … No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term.
JD
August 9, 2023 at 6:28 pm
I’ve asked this similar question, and from how it reads it seems like he has to sit out the 2026 cycle, but is allowed to run again in 2030. The governor’s office isn’t permenately term limited. Just a sit out.
Am I wrong? Unless the toadie legislature changes it of course.
Rob Desantos
August 9, 2023 at 7:50 pm
I believe that is correct – so watch out Florida in 2030!
ScienceBLVR
August 9, 2023 at 2:36 pm
Unbelievable, truly. People’s voting preferences obviously mean nothing in Florida. And then Scott makes some inane and irrelevant comments backing his play- I would say VOTE them out of office, but I guess that is a futile exercise under Republican dictatorial rules.
JD
August 9, 2023 at 6:32 pm
This is no longer mere authoratarianism, it’s fascism.
JD
August 9, 2023 at 6:36 pm
1. Disregarding democratic values, rule of law, and equality in the legal system, leaning instead towards a dominant figure who discerns the collective sentiment.
2. Mobilizing widespread anger directed at cultural luminaries.
3. Prioritizing nationalism rooted in a predominant “elite” race and ancestral heritage.
4. Celebrating raw power and valorous fighters.
5. A lack of respect for women coupled with apprehension towards unconventional gender identities and sexual orientations.
Dan
August 9, 2023 at 7:56 pm
One out of 58 gun robberies prosecuted?
Good riddance to all of the soft on crime liberals.
Dick
August 9, 2023 at 7:58 pm
So u don’t support a democracy. Vote for who u want in 24.
Suze
August 9, 2023 at 7:56 pm
This is Not Democracy. This is a Dictatorship. Weaponization of government. Coward DeathSantis.
Comments are closed.