By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The byproducts of every Floridian’s right to vote — a right which exists at the very fabric of our democracy — find themselves suddenly threatened under the weight of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential aspirations. Resent actions by the governor paing a troubling portrait of what could happen in other areas of the United States should his campaign’s goals become realities.
Even beyond the decisions and positions that many have decried as racist in nature, DeSantis’ most recent maneuvering has unveiled a disturbing narrative.
Florida’s State Attorney Monique Worrell was elected in 2020 by her constituents with an overwhelming 67% of the vote, representing a mandate affirming her campaign platform and qualifications. However, Worrell now finds herself suspended by DeSantis, the same man who heralds a promise of equitable leadership.
The Florida governor cited “neglect of duty” as the grounds for her suspension.
“Elected officials are being taken out of office solely for political purposes, and that should never be a thing,” Worrell said during a recent news conference.
“There used to be a very high standard for the removal of elected officials. There used to be a standard that I would have been criminally prosecuted for something, neglecting my duties – meaning that I’d not show up for work and do my job – or that I have some sort of an illness that prevented me from doing my job.”
She continued:
“But under this tyranny, elected officials can be removed simply for political purposes and by a whim of the governor, and no matter how you feel about me, you should not be OK with that.”
Worrell wasn’t alone in surmising that a sitting governor who seeks the highest office in the land but is comfortable with using their office to employ dubious tactics, like unjustly suspending duly elected officials, casts a shadow over the principles upon which the nation was founded.
“For months, this governor has chosen to not only attack but abuse the power of his office to feed red meat to his conservative base and remove elected officials who threaten his agenda,” Florida Democratic Congressman Maxwell Frost stated.
“But once again, it’s our communities and the people of Florida that have become pawns in DeSantis’s long-term plans for total and absolute power,” Frost asserted.
DeSantis, flanked by two local sheriffs – a puzzling absence of overlap with Worrell’s jurisdiction – commandeered the spotlight in a press conference that underscores the partisan narrative at play.
Making a mockery of justice, one of the sheriffs thrust Worrell’s suspension into a meme-worthy spectacle, utilizing a photoshopped image to lampoon her predicament.
“Worrell refused to faithfully enforce the laws of Florida,” DeSantis claimed, failing to offer tangible evidence, and refusing questions from reporters.
He claimed that Worrell routinely avoids minimum mandatory sentences for drug trafficking offenses, allowing juveniles to avoid serious charges and jail time, and avoiding sentence enhancements.
“I have no doubt that today’s decision is not only consistent with the constitution and laws of Florida and that we have a right to act,” DeSantis claimed.
“I know that today’s decision, we had a duty to act to protect the public from this dereliction of duty.”
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said, with the suspension of Worrell, DeSantis had pulled a veil over justice and imposed a reign of his own making.
Fried said the voice of democracy had been stifled, replaced by a chorus of self-interest, and the repercussions of the governor’s power play extend beyond state lines.
She said they underscore a dangerous precedent that, if left unchecked, could herald an era where democracy bows to tyranny.
“Ron DeSantis has gone too far,” Fried asserted. “Monique Worrell is a devoted public servant — one who was elected overwhelmingly by her constituents. This political hit job threatens our democracy and undermines the will of the people.”
