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Andrew Warren: Ousted Hillsborough state attorney will not seek reelection

By FOX 13 News Staff
Published  January 8, 2024 10:40am EST
Tampa
FOX 13 News
Governor Ron DeSantis and Andrew Warren side-by-side. article

Governor Ron DeSantis and Andrew Warren side-by-side. 

TAMPA, Fla. - Suspended Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren says he will not run for a third term after being removed from the position by Governor Ron DeSantis more than a year and a half ago. 

Warren, who sued DeSantis in hopes of getting his job back and lost, stated that he feared if he won reelection in November that Gov. Ron DeSantis would simply suspend him again and put the person who just lost the election into the position. 

In August 2022, Governor DeSantis announced Warrens' suspension during a press conference where he was surrounded by Bay Area sheriffs saying the prosecutor violated his oath of office and had been soft on crime. 

At that time, DeSantis appointed Hillsborough County Judge Suzy Lopez to replace Warren. 

Full press conference: Florida Gov. DeSantis announces suspension of Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the suspension of Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren, effective immediately, for refusing to enforce Florida law.

Warren sued DeSantis claiming his ousting was an "illegal political stunt." 

RELATED: Warren vs. DeSantis: Governor’s campaign supporters were used to target Andrew Warren, state official says

The judge found that the governor was wrong to fire Warren, but said the court lacked the authority to reinstall him as state attorney. Warren appealed the case. 

Federal appeals court to decide fate of Andrew Warren

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The fight over former state attorney Andrew Warren’s removal from office headed to a federal appeals court in Alabama Tuesday afternoon. 

The Florida Supreme Court ruled that the twice-elected Democrat waited too long to bring the case. 

In 2020, 369,129 Hillsborough County voters cast their ballot for Warren, which made up 53.4% of the turnout. He was also elected by voters in 2016.

The Florida governor said Warren's suspension stems from three main issues:

  • Warren's promise not to prosecute women or providers who violate the state's 15-week abortion ban.
  • His promise not to prosecute those who provide gender re-assignment surgery for minors
  • His general policy of not prosecuting minor or low-level first-time offenses for certain violation

Warren was among 90 prosecutors from across the country that signed on to the pledge after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court. The governor also points towards Warren’s commitment not to criminalize minors who have sex change operations.

File image of Andrew Warren.

File image of Andrew Warren.

During his term, DeSantis removed four individuals from office:

  • Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel following the deadly Parkland school shooting. In May, he was sworn in as the new police chief of Opa-locka in South Florida.
  • Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher following a series of controversies during the 2018 election, such as missing the deadline to recount ballots in the U.S. Senate race.
  • Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson of the Okaloosa County School District after an investigation into child abuse and failure to report child abuse in the district
  • Port Richey Mayor Dale Massad after he was arrested and accused of firing at Pasco County deputies when they tried to serve a warrant at his home. State investigators were charging him with practicing medicine without a license following a four-month-long undercover investigation.

In August 2023, Governor DeSantis also suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell accusing her of neglect and incompetence.