Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended a second state prosecutor Wednesday—this time the top state prosecutor in Orlando—for incompetence and “neglecting her duty” to prosecute crime, accusing her of being lenient against violent criminals.
Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a fundraising event for ... [+]
DeSantis said Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell’s policies “have too often allowed violent criminals to escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct,” which he added endangers “innocent civilians.”
In the suspension, DeSantis argues Worrell’s tenure was “clearly and fundamentally derelict as to constitute both neglect of duty and incompetence,” citing her jurisdiction’s low prison admission rates, slow juvenile case processing time and her tendency to evade minimum mandatory sentences for drug trafficking and gun crimes.
Worrell pushed back on that, saying she’s been utilizing diversion and restorative justice and statistics show crime is down in her jurisdiction, adding people have been “more protected than ever” under her tenure.
In response to her suspension, Worrell called DeSantis a “weak dictator” and said this was a move for DeSantis to get back in the news amid his “failing and disastrous presidential campaign.”
Former judge Andrew Bain will replace Worrell for the duration of the suspension, which started immediately on Wednesday and goes until DeSantis issues another executive order or the State Senate, which is Republican controlled, moves to reinstate her.
“There used to be a very high standard for the role of elected officials,” Worrell said in a press conference. “But under this tyranny any elected officials can be removed simply for political purposes and by a whim of the governor. And no matter how you feel about me, you should not be okay with that.”
Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried said in a statement Wednesday that DeSantis’ suspension of Worrell is a “political hit job (that) threatens our democracy and undermines the will of the people.” Worrell had recently spoken out about Florida’s new education standards that imply Black people benefited from slavery, and Fried, calling for immediate reinstatement, said it’s clear that DeSantis’ decision to remove the only state attorney who was a Black woman was “clearly racially and politically motivated.”
Worrell said DeSantis’ decision will not stop her from running for reelection and she plans to run for a second term next year.
This is the second time DeSantis has taken the rare step of suspending a state attorney. In August 2022, he suspended the top state prosecutor in Tampa, Andrew Warren, for negligence and incompetence after he said he wouldn’t prosecute those who seek or provide abortions. Though Warren wasn’t violating any laws at the time of his suspension, DeSantis argued he was still acting unlawfully, accusing him of “presumptive non-enforcement” and trying to be a “‘functional veto’ on the policies of the Florida Legislature.” Warren sued, saying the suspension violated his First Amendment rights. In January, a federal judge agreed DeSantis violated the Constitution, but said he didn’t have the power to reinstate Warren.