The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that Governor Ron DeSantis acted within his powers in suspending a State Attorney. DeSantis relieved the attorney of her duty over her unusual leniency to crime. In addition, there were allegations of her ties to George Soros.
Here’s why the court took the decision and what the prosecutor had to say.
The Bone of Contention
In August 2023, Governor DeSantis ordered the suspension of the Orange-Osceola County State Attorney Monique Worrell. The news soon became a hot topic, dominating the media space for months.
The drama intensified later in the next month when the axed State Attorney returned fire by dragging the Governor to Florida’s highest court. She prayed the court to overturn her suspension. The court has now ruled in the Governor’s favor.
The Verdict
The Supreme Court justices recently voted 6 – 1 to support the Governor. Six of the justices disagreed with Worrell’s argument that DeSantis had no concrete reason for suspending her.
They also differed with her claim that the Governor was stopping her from utilizing her rights to prosecutorial discretion. This refers to her freedom of decision-making when determining cases.
The Dissenting Opinion
The only judge who disagreed with the majority view was Justice Judge Labarga. He argued that judges should enjoy the freedom to use discretion in addressing peculiar challenges in their communities.
Judge Labarga reasoned that without this freedom to use discretion, the attorneys “may also face suspension and replacement despite having been overwhelmingly elected by the voters of the circuit.”
The Reason for the Suspension
According to DeSantis, Worrell had acted below the acceptable standards for a State Attorney. Specifically, he accused her of deliberately failing to prosecute minors who had committed crimes.
In addition, he blamed her for putting the public in danger, especially in her central Florida area. The Governor traced this to her refusal to pursue mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes, thereby allowing criminals back on the street in a short time.
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Encouraging Crime?
DeSantis, who has built a reputation for being tough on crime, accused Worrell of “Dereliction of duty” and giving dangerous criminals a slap on the wrist and even a pat on the back.
In a statement, the Governor declared that “The practices and policies of her office have allowed murderers, other violent offenders, and dangerous drug traffickers to receive extremely reduced sentences and escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct.”
The George Soros Link
Of course, no one expected Worrell and DeSantis to be best of buddies given that they were from rival parties, especially after news surfaced of her links to George Soros. The billionaire businessman and political financier has been a long-standing archenemy of the Republicans.
During the 2020 elections, Worrell benefited financially from Our Vote Our Voice, an advocacy group that George Soros funded to the tune of a million dollars. Worrell got more than a million dollars in funding from the group.
Was DeSantis Politically Motivated?
Worrell strongly believes that he was. She stated that since DeSantis made the move in the thick of his campaign for the GOP Presidential nomination, her suspension was a political move.
In the same vein, Worrell contended that the only reason the law allows the suspension of an elected official is for gross misconduct. The former State Attorney denied any suspension-worthy wrongdoing, stating that she only did her job as she believed she should.
The Political Dimension to the Ruling
Of course, there is always a political consideration to any ruling. The major consideration specifically borders on the constitution of the judges. Interestingly, five of the Supreme Court justices in the case are DeSantis’s appointees.
The constitution of a court has always been fuel in the hands of individuals who are unsatisfied with court judgments. However, it remains a valid concern given that judges are likely to view cases from the lens of their political leanings.
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DeSantis Has Removed State Attorneys in the Past
Interestingly, this wouldn’t be the first time Governor DeSantis has booted out a State Attorney. In 2023, the Governor removed Tampa State Attorney Andrew Warren, who had twice won election to the office.
Warren’s “sin” was his signing of pledges not to prosecute seekers or providers of abortion and gender transformation treatments. Also, he irked DeSantis by refusing to charge suspects of low-level crimes.
Worrell Has Since Been Replaced
Following Worrell’s suspension, Gov. DeSantis appointed Orange County circuit judge Andrew Bain to fill the vacant seat. Andrew Bain is a graduate of the University of Miami with a double major in Psychology and African American studies.
DeSantis appointed him to the bench in 2020 before he later won the election as the State Attorney for Orange County. The Governor sees him as a strong proponent of public safety.
What Next for Worrell?
Worrell could challenge her suspension in the Florida Senate, but she has recently ruled out the possibility, preferring to depend on the voters in the elections.
In a public statement she made just after the Supreme Court’s decision, she said she had “No expectations from anyone except my constituents.” Worrell is set to square off against her successor, Andrew Bain, in the November election of this year.
Worrell Appeals to Voters
In the same breath, Worrell had some critical words for Governor DeSantis, who she called an “authoritarian governor” and the “Republican establishment here in the state of Florida.”
“When they can’t win, they cheat,” she added. The ousted State Attorney also used the opportunity to appeal to voters. “Do not give up, do not stop fighting; your votes matter.” Worrell is relying on voters who placed her in the State Attorney seat for the first time in 2020 to do it again.
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