Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren
Category: News & Politics
Via: vic-eldred • 3 years ago • 29 commentsBy: Ben Montgomery,Selene San Felice (Axios)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is suspending Andrew Warren, the twice-elected state attorney for Hillsborough County, for failing to prosecute crimes DeSantis believes he should enforce.
Driving the news: DeSantis announced an executive order declaring that Warren is suspended from public office, effective immediately, at a press conference in Tampa Thursday.
- The governor appointed Hillsborough County Court judge Susan Lopez to serve as state attorney in the interim.
- DeSantis said his office is working to remove Warren permanently.
Between the lines: DeSantis accuses Warren of "incompetence and willful defiance as early as June 2021" in the executive order.
- The order cites Warren's signing of a joint statement with other elected prosecutors — like Monique H. Worrell, the state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties — condemning laws that criminalize doctors who perform gender-affirming health care.
- The governor's office also accuses Warren of acting "as law unto himself by instituting a policy ... of presumptive non-enforcement for certain criminal violations," citing his most recent pledge to not press charges against those receiving an abortion or their doctors.
Context: Warren has been state attorney in District 13 since 2017, when he upset longtime Hillsborough State Attorney Mark Ober.
- This isn't the first time a Florida governor has removed a state's attorney. Former Gov. Rick Scott removed former Orange and Osceola County State Attorney Aramis Ayala as head prosecutor in more than two dozen murder cases after she swore not to seek the death penalty.
What they're saying: "Not enforcing the law, that's a neglect of duty. That, quite frankly, is incompetence by Florida law. Saying you're not going to enforce the law is a dereliction of duty," said DeSantis.
The other side: Warren told Axios after DeSantis' order that his priority is an announcement set for later Thursday on the 1983 cold case murder of Barbara Grams, which Robert DuBoise was wrongfully convicted for and served 37 years in prison.
- Grams' family has been waiting on this announcement for so long, he said, that they don't deserve to be overshadowed by politics.
Three Republican sheriffs — Pasco County's Chris Nocco, Hillsborough County's Chad Chronister and Polk County's Grady Judd — joined DeSantis for the announcement Thursday, but none offered specific examples of wrongdoing by Warren.
Worrell's Office didn't immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.
This is a breaking story. Check back for more updates.
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That's my choice for President, right there!
Take that Soros!
So... An elected official can fire another elected official now? Way to subvert the will of the voters there Ronnie.
Yeah, he probably can - or suspend them at least. I don’t know how long that can last. If the DA were making this decision on a case-by-case basis, I don’t think there’s anything the governor could have done about it. But declaring that he won’t enforce it at all gives the governor room to act.
Perhaps if he had said he thought the law was unconstitutional, he might stand on firmer ground.
So, I got to thinking about it, and it occurred to me that this suspension is only based on speech, not action, and is therefore probably unconstitutional per both the state and federal constitutions. It can’t be neglect of duty to merely say that you aren’t going to prosecute cases. The law under which DeSantis is issuing the suspension lists neglect of duty, but not a threat to neglect duty - if you see what I mean.
Honestly, the chances of this even coming up are probably pretty small, so he may never actually get the chance to not prosecute.
If Warren won't enforce the law he should do the honorable thing and resign.
If he won't resign and won't do his job he should be removed from office. We can't have a functioning government if every DA or Judge simply lets their own morality dictate whether they will follow the law.
should de santis also consider resigning every time he tries to subvert the US constitution?
He's never done that..
Ever hear of the 1st Amendment, freedom of speech?
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He and they didn't. To most liberals, the mere mention of DeSantis and Trump triggers feelings no normal human being would ever feel.
What they mean by curtailing free speech really means calling them out for the bullshit they throw out and hope sticks every single day,
Almost a full time job doing this with most leftists on here.
Good thing I have an actual job.
Stupidly laughable.
Seems the left is only for corporate welfare when they are woke assholes.