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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, alongside Texas Attorney General Ashley Moody, on Wednesday suspended Monique Worrell, the state attorney for Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit, accusing her of under-prosecuting criminals in her jurisdiction.
Worrell, a democrat elected in 2011 has been “clearly and fundamentally derelict” in her duties, the Republican governor stated at a press conference in Tallahassee.
“It is my duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature are followed,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The people of Central Florida deserve to have a State Attorney who will seek justice in accordance with the law instead of allowing violent criminals to roam the streets and find new victims.”
The order states that “Worrell has authorized or allowed practices or policies that have systematically permitted . violent offenders, drug traffickers, serious-juvenile offenders, and pedophiles to evade incarce?-ation, when otherwise warranted under Florida law. These practices or policies include non-filing or dropping meritorious charges or declining to allege otherwise provable facts to avoid triggering applicable lengthy sentences, minimum mandatory sentences, or other sentencing enhancements, especially for offenders under the age of 25, except in the most extreme cases. Worrell’s practices or policies contravene the policies of the Florida Legislature as expressed in statute and undermine the safety, security, and welfare of the communities that Worrell has been elected to serve”.
“We are fortunate to have a Governor committed to the rule of law and holding officials — especially those elected to protect the public — accountable for not doing the jobs they swore an oath to do,” said Moody. “Ms. Worrell abdicated her responsibility as the circuit’s top prosecutor and her actions undermine the safety and security of our state and Floridians.”
Article IV, Section 7 of the Florida Constitution allows the Governor to suspend state officers from failing to do their job.
Ninth Circuit Judge Andrew Baine will be appointed to take over as Orange-Osceola County State Attorney during the suspension, DeSantis announced.
“I trust that he will be the prosecutor that faithfully enforces the law and will keep the communities in Central Florida safe,” the governor said.
