Suspended Florida Prosecutor Announces Bid for Reelection Amid Legal Dispute

Democratic Florida Prosecutor Andrew Warren
Democratic Florida Prosecutor Andrew Warren. Credit | REUTERS

United States: In opposite directions, a Democratic Florida prosecutor under suspension by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Tuesday that he will seek reelection during a period of a court battle over the 2022 removal from the post.

Reversal of Decision

In January, Andrew Warren said that he would not contest this election. However, an earlier decision in the federal appeals court stated that the lower court should consider an argument concerning Warren that he interpreted his statements on some controversial issues such as abortion as political advocacy that the First Amendment firstly protects. That case remains pending, as reported by the Associated Press.

DeSantis said that Warren cited those statements in suspending Warren because he was refusing to uphold and enforce those laws. Warren’s appointee, a Republican Suzy Lopez, is currently in the running for the office that prosecutes cases in Tampa and surroundings by the county.

Warren’s Announcement

Warren, in a video post on social media, announced that the governor “illegally forced me from office” and that he is seeking a third term while a judge in Tallahassee decides whether to give him back his job, possibly later this year. The qualifications for the election ended in a week.

“I’m running to protect our values, for a woman’s right to choose, for a fair and just system, and — above all — for freedom and democracy,” Warren said in a statement. “I’m running to do what’s right.”

The governor’s office, after the 11th USSC ruling that approved Warren’s case, contended that it was a poor precedent enabling political oriented prosecutors to ignore laws they were against off.

Judicial Review

The final decision will eventually be brought to the U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle, who has previously ruled that Warren’s arguments are protected under the First Amendment, but he lacks the power to admit the charges. The Supreme Court said that the District Judge has power, as reported by Associated Press.

Governor Sununu was the first to suspend a state attorney due to being a Democratic member who got busted by Warren. During the last election, DeSantis was the one who suspended Monique Worrel, Florida’s state attorney in the Orlando area. Worrell appealed the case to the Florida Supreme Court.