Florida Governor Ron DeSantis removed another Democrat state attorney from office at a press conference early Wednesday morning.
Flanked by Florida Attorney General Ashley and FLDE Commissioner Mark Glass, the governor announced the removal of State Attorney Monique Worrell for neglecting her duty to faithfully prosecute crime in her jurisdiction. Voters in Orange and Osceola counties elected Worrell to serve as the state attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in 2020.
The governor’s office announced the presser less than 30 minutes before it happened.
In his executive order, Gov. DeSantis charged that. Worrell’s practices and policies had often allowed violent criminals to escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct, thereby endangering the innocent civilians of Orange and Osceola counties. View Executive Order.
“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.”
Replacement
The Governor appointed Circuit Judge Andrew Bain to serve as State Attorney for the duration of the suspension. DeSantis previously appointed Bain to the circuit court in July 2020.
Bain started as the offensive left guard for the University of Miami in 2006 and 2007. He finished his bachelor’s degrees in psychology and business law. He graduated from Florida A&M Law School in 2013. He was a county judge before his appointment to the circuit court.
Reasons
Among the statistics cited in the executive order:
- The Ninth Circuit is last of all 20 circuits in Florida in the percentage of juvenile felony cases, including firearm-related felonies and violent felonies, that are direct filed based on the most serious offenses disposed,
- Consistently been first among all circuits in the percentage of juvenile felony cases, including firearm-related felonies and violent felonies, dropped as a result of a non-file or a nolle prosequi; and
- Had an average case processing time of 212 days in the juvenile justice system, again last in the state. The average case processing time is 106 days in the other circuits.
“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 Attorney General Ashley 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.”
Deja Vu
Last August, Gov. DeSantis suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, also for “due to neglect of duty.” Read announcement.
However, the governor did not cite any statistics or actual examples of neglect in his order. Read order.
A federal judge deemed that while DeSantis did violate the state Constitution, but the judge he did not have the power to reinstate Warren.