Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Accused of Political Vendetta: Suspends Elected Democrat State Attorney for Alleged Leniency Towards Violent Criminals

 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended the elected state attorney of Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit, Monique H. Worrell. DeSantis alleges that Worrell, a Democrat, has been lenient towards violent criminals and has neglected her duties. Worrell's office vehemently denies these charges.

According to DeSantis, Worrell's office has avoided seeking mandatory minimum sentences for gun and drug trafficking crimes, allowed juveniles to avoid serious charges or incarceration, limited charges for child pornography, and inappropriately allowed some offenders to avoid having a criminal conviction on their records. Worrell, anticipating her potential suspension, released data in March showing that her prosecution rate was similar to that of her predecessors.

Worrell argues that DeSantis' suspension is politically motivated and represents a loss of democracy. This is not the first time DeSantis has suspended a Democratic state attorney, as he previously removed another Democratic state attorney in Tampa. Critics of DeSantis argue that these suspensions are a way for him to appeal to his conservative base and distract from his struggling presidential campaign. Many have criticized DeSantis' actions as an abuse of power and an example of authoritarianism. Worrell plans to seek reelection despite her suspension.