Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren on Thursday for refusing to enforce a number of state laws, including Florida’s prohibition on sex change surgery for minors.
“Warren demonstrated his incompetence and willful defiance of his duties as a state attorney as early as June 2021, when he signed a ‘Joint Statement’ with other elected prosecutors in support of gender-transition treatment for children and bathroom usage based on gender identity,” DeSantis said in an order.
Warren also vowed not to enforce a 15-week ban on abortion in Florida.
“This 15-week ban is an unconstitutional law. The Legislature is hoping courts ignore the Florida constitution. But I’m upholding the law and protecting the fundamental rights of all Floridians,” Warren said of the law.
Susan Lopez, previously appointed by DeSantis to serve as a judge on the Hillsborough County Court, will serve as the State Attorney of the 13th Judicial Circuit during Warren’s suspension.
#BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis is suspending State Attorney Andrew Warren, a Democrat, for vowing to not enforce prohibitions on sex changes for minors or restrictions on abortion
“When you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty.” pic.twitter.com/BegsmOXqWR
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 4, 2022
“I have the utmost respect for our state laws and I understand the important role that the State Attorney plays in ensuring the safety of our community and the enforcement of our laws,” Lopez said. “I want to thank the Governor for placing his trust in me, and I promise that I will faithfully execute the duties of this office.”
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) sent a letter to K-12 schools in July telling them to disregard a new proposed rule from the Biden Department of Education that threatened to withhold funds from schools that did not open preferred bathrooms and locker rooms to transgender individuals.
The Florida Department of Health issued guidance that went against new rules from the Department of Health And Human Services (HHS) in April. After the Biden HHS endorsed “gender affirming care,” Florida’s HHS released guidance against the “unscientific shift in the treatment of gender dysphoria for children and adolescents.”
Today, the Florida Department of Health released guidance pushing back on @HHSGov unscientific shift in the treatment of gender dysphoria for children and adolescents.
The press release is available here: https://t.co/JsE4HcYOUD… pic.twitter.com/vmWQhBsaai
— Florida Dept. of Health (@HealthyFla) April 20, 2022
DeSantis previously called for doctors who perform sex change surgeries on underage children to be sued. (RELATED: ‘The View’ Tried To Bring On DeSantis For A Guest Appearance. Here’s How His Press Team Responded)
“[They] talk about these young kids getting ‘gender-affirming care.’ They don’t tell you what that is,” DeSantis said. “They’re actually giving very young girls double mastectomies; they want to castrate these young boys. That’s wrong.”
DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw teased the announcement of Warren’s suspension Wednesday on Twitter.
“Prepare for the liberal media meltdown of the year,” Pushaw said.
MAJOR announcement tomorrow morning from @GovRonDeSantis.
Prepare for the liberal media meltdown of the year
Everyone get some rest tonight 😉 🌚
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) August 4, 2022
Fair and Just Prosecution, an organization that supports newly elected prosecutors as they “embrace new thinking,” called the move a “dangerous intrusion on the separation of powers” in a statement provided to the Daily Caller.
“Governors don’t hand-pick elected prosecutors, the voters do. With this outrageous overreach, Gov. DeSantis is sending a clear message that the will of the people of Hillsborough County matters less than his own political agenda,” Fair and Just Prosecution Executive Director Miriam Krinsky said.
Florida Governors have the authority to suspend state officers for, among other things, neglect of duty, under Article IV, Section 7 of the Florida State Constitution.
DeSantis’s office did not respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.