Andrew Warren says voters need to push back on Ron DeSantis’ ‘extreme abortion bans’

Image via Andrew Warren.

With a strict abortion ban going into effect in Florida, a State Attorney suspended for criticizing the law says voters must act.

Andrew Warren won two terms as Hillsborough County State Attorney before Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him in 2022. Now the Democrat has filed for re-election in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit.

“I was suspended for criticizing these extreme abortion bans, not for any action that I took,” Warren said. “Think about what would happen if a prosecutor declines to charge a case using the discretion that he or she is required to exercise by law. This is putting pressure on prosecutors to violate their duty to enforce the law in the interests of justice.”

The Florida Supreme Court upheld a ban on most abortions six weeks into pregnancy, but also approved a constitutional amendment to appear on the ballot in November.

DeSantis, for his part, has predicted that the ballot measure will fail. The same day that Warren made his remarks on the issue, DeSantis defended suspending the State Attorney after Warren signed a letter saying he would not prosecute violations of the abortion restriction.

“My action was based on the constitutional authority I have as Governor and it was appropriate what we did, and it has made Hillsborough County safer as a result,” DeSantis said. “Criminals are held accountable in a much more significant way since Suzy Lopez has been the State Attorney there in Hillsborough County. That’s just a fact.”

DeSantis appointed Lopez as State Attorney after suspending Warren. The Republican is now running for a full term.

“People can do whatever, but I will tell you this, people want to be safe in Hillsborough County,” DeSantis said. “No one would have thought this was possible even five years ago. Hillsborough County by Election Day is actually going to have more registered Republicans than Democrats.”

As of March 31, registered Democrats in Hillsborough County outnumber Republicans by fewer than 9,000 votes, according to the Division of Elections.

Warren has sought for federal courts to override DeSantis’ suspension. He has urged the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to expedite a decision after Judges said federal courts can override the decision.

Elizabeth Martinez Strauss, a Democrat also filed for State Attorney, told a group this week she would drop out if courts reinstate Warren, according to the Tampa Bay Times. But qualification for the office ends on Aug. 26 at noon.

Warren said it’s important that voters restore abortion rights with the ballot measure and fight against DeSantis’ position on abortion.

“I worry about mothers and doctors being prosecuted. I worry about the freedoms taken away. from us,” he said. “But most of all, I worry about the America that my two daughters are now growing up in with his extreme abortion bans in place in Florida and across the country.”