Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced on Wednesday he has suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell of the 9th Judicial Circuit for neglect of duty and incompetence in the aftermath of a shooter killed multiple people when he could have been behind bars.
DeSantis said that Worrell’s practices and policies "have too often allowed violent criminals to escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct, thereby endangering the innocent civilians" in Orange and Osceola counties. Worrell is now the second state attorney that was backed by George Soros that DeSantis has suspended for failing to uphold the law. In 2020, a Soros group spent $1.5 million in ads to support Worrell's bid for state attorney.
"It is my duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature are followed," said 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."
#BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Democratic State Attorney Monique Worrell, effective immediately, citing lack of mandatory minimum sentencings for various crimes, neglect of duty, and abusing discretion pic.twitter.com/O0Pe1UbTVH
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 9, 2023
DeSantis provided examples during his announcement showing Worrell's soft-on-crime policies have endangered Floridians.
WATCH: DeSantis slams now-suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell in handling violent criminal cases, in one case a man purportedly being released on bond going on to shoot two Orlando police officers
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 9, 2023
"We had a duty to act - to protect the public from this dereliction of duty." pic.twitter.com/C6CYQWyVV1
Former judge Andrew Bain was picked by DeSantis to serve as State Attorney for the duration of the suspension. He most recently served as an Orange County judge in the 9th Judicial Circuit. He received his law degree from Florida A&M University College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami.
