In a news conference aired live on Rumble, Facebook, and Twitter, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the immediate suspension of Hillsborough County state attorney Andrew Warren for consistent refusal to enforce certain laws. Accompanied by county sheriffs and law enforcment officers, DeSantis said Warren has publicly put himself above the law by signing letters saying he would not enforce riot laws, laws prohibiting sex changes for minors, or laws limiting abortion. DeSantis cited Warren’s announcement that he would refuse to enforce any Florida laws limiting abortion in the wake of the Dobbs decision, laws against allowing children to undergo mutilating surgeries, and a consistent record of charges not being brought in violent crime cases.
Progressive prosecutors backed by Soros have refused to enforce laws across the country. They treat criminals with deference & victims with contempt. This dereliction of duty is why crime is surging. But @GovRonDeSantis won’t stand for this. He just suspended the one in Florida.
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) August 4, 2022
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister spoke, citing the case of a shooting that targeted a young family in which Warren failed to file charges, only for the suspect to continue to commit violent offenses. Chronister said the state attorney told him they didn’t prosecute because the depositions would be too long and complicated.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd then spoke about liberal cities like Chicago, New York, and Portland that have failed to prosecute violent crimes, and the resulting spikes in crime in those cities. He noted that it’s the elected prosecutors who decide whether or not to support law enforcement and keep people safe.
DeSantis made a point of distinguishing between prosecutorial discretion (which is rightly exercised on a case-by-case basis) and a consistent stance of refusing to uphold the constitution and laws of Florida.
Today’s announcement came in the wake of Warren’s public proclamations that he would not prosecute riot crimes or laws against late term abortion, despite his oath to uphold the laws of the state of Florida. In June, he signed on to a letter vowing to protect abortion:
Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren issued a joint statement with prosecutors nationwide declining to go after people “who seek, provide, or support abortions” following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The prosecutors who signed on to the letter from the organization Fair and Just Prosecution say that while they all don’t agree on abortion, “we stand together in our firm belief that prosecutors have a responsibility to refrain from using limited criminal legal system resources to criminalize personal medical decisions.”
In 2020, Warren declined to file charges against rioters in the wake of the George Floyd killing:
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren will not prosecute 67 protesters arrested June 2.
The 67 individuals were arrested for unlawful assembly during demonstrations calling for police reform [in] the face of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis.
Warren’s office said Monday during a news conference they would not be filing charges.
“I’ve said many times that criminal justice reform involves looking at each case as a problem to solve, not just a person to be punished,” State Attorney Warren said. “In these unlawful assembly cases, there is no value in filing charges,” Warren said. “Prosecuting people for exercising their First Amendment rights creates problems rather than solving them. It can weaken the bonds between law enforcement and the community, while undermining faith in our system.”
DeSantis has laid down a marker, refusing to allow any Florida county or municipality to become one of those blue cities overcome by crime and violence due to woke politics and misapplied social justice.
Governor Ron DeSantis makes an announcement about law enforcement. https://t.co/LfTJ4cUxMJ
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 4, 2022
Source: PJ Media
