Dictator Ron DeSantis removed Florida's top state prosecutor in Orlando today — an extremely rare move — who happens to be a Black Democrat. Apparently, she was too lenient for the MAGA fascist. "I am today announcing the suspension of state attorney Monique Worrell from the ninth judicial circuit, effective immediately," he announced (see video below, posted by Ron Filipkowski).
And it's the second time in a year that DeSantis has purged an elected state attorney, the first being Andrew H. Warren (Democrat, of course) for promising not to prosecute abortion providers. (Warren is currently fighting the suspension in court).
"This could flip any day — we could get a Democratic governor who then decides to go around suspending all Republican prosecutors because we are not in alignment in ideology," Worrell said, via The New York Times. "It has to stop. This is a dictatorship. This is not a democracy." (See part of Worrell's reaction in second video below, posted by The Recount.)
From NYT:
Ms. Worrell, who was elected in 2020, was known to be in Mr. DeSantis's sights. He criticized her office earlier this year, and his general counsel sent her a letter seeking documents about previous arrests. Mr. DeSantis is a former federal and military prosecutor.
In March, anticipating that she might be suspended, Ms. Worrell released data showing that her prosecution rate was similar to that of her predecessors. In an interview at the time, she warned of the dangers of a governor pushing the boundaries of his executive power to remove law enforcement officials who belong to the opposing political party. …
Ms. Worrell and Mr. Warren were among many prosecutors who have been backed by groups supported by the liberal billionaire investor George Soros. Mr. DeSantis uses derisive mentions of Mr. Soros's name to draw cheers as he campaigns for president.
"We have stood for law and order in the state of Florida," Mr. DeSantis said last week in Cedar Falls, Iowa. "And when we had a Soros-funded left-wing prosecutor in Tampa saying that he wasn't going to enforce laws that he didn't like, I removed him from his post."
In suspending Ms. Worrell on Wednesday, Mr. DeSantis did not discuss Mr. Soros. But as with the removal of Mr. Warren, right-wing commentators online emphasized the Soros connection to Ms. Worrell, and members of Mr. DeSantis's campaign amplified that message.
Front page thumbnail image: Ron DeSantis / State of Florida
