Orange/Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell has joined a long and growing list of duly elected officials who have been removed from office by Governor Ron DeSantis.
On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, Governor DeSantis announced in a press conference his suspension and removal of 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell citing, “Worrell’s failure to implement mandatory minimum sentences and abusing her discretion to not bring charges.” DeSantis’ suspension and removal of Monique Worrell from office comes just days after media reports that Republican voters are tiring of DeSantis’ campaign against “woke” and prioritize “law and order” candidates.
It seems clear this suspension has nothing to do with State Attorney Worrell’s ability to do the job she was elected by the voters of Orange and Osceola Counties to do and everything to do with Governor DeSantis’ desire to shore up his failing presidential campaign. Worrell is the second democratically elected State Attorney to be removed from office by Governor DeSantis.
In August 2022, DeSantis removed 13th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Andrew Warren. Both Democratic State Attorneys have been accused by Governor DeSantis of nullifying Florida’s criminal statutes by their prosecutorial choices. In fact, Governor DeSantis simply disagrees with the prosecutorial discretion exercised by Andrew Warren and Monique Worrell and is replacing them with Republicans more to his liking.
With these suspensions and removals from office, Governor DeSantis is nullifying the votes of tens of thousands of Florida voters who chose Andrew Warren and Monique Worrell to be their State Attorneys.
DPCF vehemently condemns this suspension and stands in solidarity with other Democratic officials and colleagues in calling for the immediate reinstatement of Monique Worrell as State Attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
We ask that those in Orange and Osceola County who overwhelmingly voted for Monique Worrell in 2020 support her now by calling the Governor’s office at (850) 717-9337 and demanding the reinstatement of State Attorney, Monique Worrell.