The state of Florida has taken decisive action against a prosecutor whose election campaign was controversially funded by the polarizing billionaire George Soros. This prosecutor, once in office, quickly adopted a disastrously lenient approach to crime, a common trait among Soros-backed candidates, which led to widespread dissatisfaction among the public.
In August of last year, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis used his gubernatorial powers to remove Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren. DeSantis signed an executive order suspending Warren, citing “neglect of duty” and “incompetence” as the reasons for his removal.
At the same time, DeSantis also removed Monique Worrell, the progressive Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney, citing her for “dereliction of duty.” DeSantis stated, “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. In some cases, these offenders have evaded incarceration altogether,” according to Fox News.
JUST IN: Suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell calls Gov. Ron DeSantis a "dictator"
"This is an outrage […] There used to be a very high standard for the removal of elected officials."
"Under this tyranny, elected officials can be removed simply for political purposes."… pic.twitter.com/SuzrbreZpu
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 9, 2023
He added, “State Attorney Worrell’s practices undermine Florida law and endanger the safety, security, and welfare of the communities that Ms. Worrell was elected to serve.” Soros had also funded Worrell’s campaign for her position in Orlando.
Unsurprisingly, Worrell criticized DeSantis, calling him a “dictator.” She and her allies took the governor to court, arguing that her removal was politically motivated rather than based on her performance.
However, the Florida Supreme Court did not find Worrell’s arguments compelling. On Thursday, the court upheld DeSantis’s decision to suspend Worrell. The court ruled 6-1 that DeSantis had the authority to remove Worrell from her position, as reported by National Review.
In its majority opinion, the court stated, “We cannot agree with Worrell that the allegations in the Executive Order are impermissibly vague, nor that they address conduct that falls within the lawful exercise of prosecutorial discretion.” The opinion continued, “We have said that a suspension order does not infringe on a state attorney’s lawful exercise of prosecutorial discretion where it alleges that such discretion is, in fact, not being exercised in individual cases but, rather, that generalized policies have resulted in categorical enforcement practices,” according to Fox News.
Additionally, the court noted that Worrell received financial support from the left-wing activist group Our Vote Our Voice, which received a $1 million donation from the George Soros-backed group Democracy Now.
Six months ago today, I was unjustly suspended from my elected role as State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. This photo, captured on that day, has become a symbol widely associated with the challenges I faced. 1/ pic.twitter.com/zSCbZsWe29
— Monique H. Worrell (@MoniqueHWorrell) January 8, 2024
The court’s ruling in favor of the governor was grounded in a straightforward constitutional principle. The Florida Constitution grants the governor the power to suspend a state officer for reasons including “malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony.” It also allows the governor to appoint a replacement for the suspended officer and to reinstate them if deemed appropriate.
This case sets a precedent for other states looking to remove dangerous, left-wing, soft-on-crime officials funded by George Soros. States without similar rules should consider implementing them, and those that do have them should utilize them more effectively.
This decision aligns with the public’s demand for stricter law enforcement and accountability for those in positions of power.