An elected prosecutor in Florida suspended by Governor Ron DeSantis after signing a statement opposing abortion prosecutions has said that he won’t seek re-election. Not because he is afraid of losing. But because he believes the Florida governor would suspend him again should he win.
Andrew Warren said he will continue the legal battle challenging his suspension as state attorney in the Tampa area. Even if he won’t seek re-election. Warren’s suspension happened in 2022 when DeSantis accused him of neglect of duty and incompetence.
The accusations came after the Democratic state attorney signed statements, along with other prosecutors across the U.S., opposing criminal charges against abortion providers or women seeking abortions.
Warren also vowed never to prosecute people for providing gender-affirming health care, and his office’s policies refused to charge people with some minor crimes. At the time, Florida had a 15-week abortion ban. Now, thanks to a law DeSantis signed, there is a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
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DeSantis is also the champion of the legislation that banned transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers. Fortunately, a federal judge has blocked portions of the new law.
Suzy Lopez was the person DeSantis chose to replace Warren in August 2022. She is currently the only person running for that office. Warren believes that if he ran again and won only to face another suspension, it would be too much drama for the office. So, his decision not to seek re-election is akin to him taking one for the team.
“I have been planning to run for re-election since the day I was suspended, but the governor has made clear that he does not care about the will of the voters or our democracy and that he is willing to break state and federal law to keep me from serving as state attorney,” Warren said.
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“I care about the State Attorney’s Office and this community too much to have that cloud of uncertainty hanging over us,” he added. Warren’s suspension was the first one DeSantis made involving Democratic state attorneys in two of Florida’s most populous metro areas.
Last year, he suspended Monique Worrell, the state attorney for the Orlando area. Worrell is also challenging the decision before the Florida Supreme Court. In 2023, the Florida Supreme Court refused to reinstate Warren. Their reason was that he had waited too long to file a petition.
Warren has also challenged his removal in federal court. According to him, DeSantis punished him for being a dissenting voice, violating his constitutional right to free speech, and nullifying the election that brought Warren to office.
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U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed Warren’s lawsuit, saying that federal law prevents him from returning to the prosecutor’s office. However, Warren has appealed the decision.
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