It was widely reported yesterday that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had fired the state prosecutor for Hillsborough County because he refused to enforce state law on abortion and gender-affirming care for young people.
The prosecutor spoke out and basically said DeSantis was lying. No such cases had come up in Hillsborough but DeSantis was playing to Republicans in Iowa and other red states.
On Thursday, Florida Politics reported that Andrew Warren, the Democratic state prosecutor of Hillsborough County, Florida, is hitting back at Gov. Ron DeSantis after he moved to suspend him from office.
“People need to understand this isn’t the Governor trying to suspend the one elected official,” said Warren. “This is the Governor trying to overthrow democracy here in Hillsborough County.”
Florida is unusual among states in that county prosecutors are elected directly, but that the governor has the authority to suspend them from office. DeSantis took this action against Warren, a progressive prosecutor who was elected on criminal justice reform, because of his refusal to enforce the state’s 15-week abortion ban and prohibition on gender-affirming care for children. In his place, DeSantis has installed Susan Lopez, a right-wing lawyer he previously appointed as Hillsborough County Judge.
“We’re protecting people’s rights; we have fought so hard for public safety and fairness and justice,” Warren said. “If the Governor thinks he can do a better job, then he should run for state attorney — not President. The Governor wants to do his sideshow with his cronies. I’m the one who’s upholding the law.” He added that regarding abortion and gender-affirming care prosecutions, “None of those cases have been brought to us. We’re not anticipating those cases being brought to us,” and urged any concerned to ask the county sheriff if any such cases are even being investigated.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
DeSantis has no tolerance for differences or divergent opinions. He wants to be able to control all aspects of the state from his perch in Tallahassee. Democracy is not really DeSantis’ thing, autocratic power is. I hope people in the state are fed with iron fist of DeSantis, but I doubt it. Unfortunately, he is still hugely popular with Floridians that need an authoritarian daddy figure to rule them. Andrew Warren is the victim of DeSantis’ personal “cancel culture” where DeSantis is free to cancel democracy.
I live in Florida. Governor DeSantis is a skilled politician who “manufactures” problems to control the media in an attempt to energize his radical right wing political base. Suspending a highly successful elected Democratic Prosecutor from Hillsborough County was a STAGED EVENT for a national audience to promote his aspirations to become the Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election ! DeSantis is a clone of Donald Trump….he thrives on controversy and chaos….and is out to destroy public education through “manufactured” culture war issues like Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), gender identity, etc. using “parental rights” as a springboard to control the message and energize his radical right wing political base !!!!
DeSantis is very devious and calculating. Unlike Trump DeSantis never breaks character. He always portrays the “aggrieved moralist” who is going to ferret out “wokeness.”
Even if cases had come up in which Warren had failed to prosecute people under the 15 week abortion ban, Warren has the Florida Constitution on his side.
The Supreme Court has ruled several times that the
Privacy righg guaranteed by the Florida Constitution includes the right to an abortion.
Why did DeSantis suspend…?
Because he can
Because he knows the lapdogs in the Florida Senate will go along.
Because this ,ight chill other prosecutors.
Because it got him headlines on Fox News for another week.
Because it caters to the forced-birth, anti-trans crowd.
Because he wants to be the next Trump.
The legislature has a number of DeSantis sycophants along with many of the judges in the state. Anyone that fails to bow and scrape including most Democrats are targets of his political theater.
“The Governor wants to do his sideshow with his cronies. I’m the one who’s upholding the law.” ”
This excerpt describes this governor, Cruz, Hawley, and the rest of the boys who ignore their states (except photo ops in front of flood ridden house Mr. Hawley – surprised you could even find the city):
How many federal appointees, cabinet members, governors’ staffers, and state representatives have said the same thing? No one wants to be without a job but how many have resigned, gone public, or used a whistleblower policy?
p.s. Mr. Wolfe – your comment is right on and thank you for using the word MANUFACTURED. That’s it! The media and others fall right into the lap of the exPresident and pals when they use the term “Big Lie” and “Fake news” – – – The “big _____” turns it into a caricature movie (Big Chill, Big Lebowski, Big Sick, Big Lie) – – these guys committed and are committing a Manufactured Lie – A Calculate Lie – a Premeditated Lie.
DeSantis is a fascist pretending to be a conservative Republican.
Lloyd, agreed about DeSantis. The core of the GOP has gone fascist. Christofascists. White supremacists. Racists. Homophobes. Misogynists.
3 words “Justice at Nuremburg”