Suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell, supporters rally outside Orlando City Hall
Rally for suspended state attorney held
Supporters of suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell held a rally Thursday night outside Orlando City Hall. Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Worrell on Wednesday, claiming she’s "neglected her duty to faithfully prosecute crime" in Orange and Osceola counties. She was replaced by Andrew Bain.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Supporters of suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell held a rally Thursday night outside Orlando City Hall.
Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Worrell on Wednesday, claiming she’s "neglected her duty to faithfully prosecute crime" in Orange and Osceola counties. She was replaced by Andrew Bain.
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat representing parts of Central Florida, was among the speakers.
"Not only did our governor want to change her character and make people think negatively about her, but he removed her from office," he said.
Hours before the rally, Frost co-authored a letter to the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, asking for a hearing to "understand the pattern of these abuses of power."
"We have to understand that, at this point, this governor is acting in an unconstitutional, illegal way to subvert democracy and give himself power," he told the crowd.
Worrell herself addressed her supporters, alleging the governor and local law enforcement had worked together to get her removed.
"Day in and day out, my executive team and I would sit around the table and struggle with, ‘Why is it so difficult for them to give us cases that we can actually prove? Why is it so difficult for them to give us probable cause?’" she said.
She also revealed investigators showed up at her house Thursday afternoon in search of state property, despite telling the state attorney's office she planned to return the items on Friday.
CONTINUING COVERAGE
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- 'A weak dictator': Monique Worrell slams Gov. Ron DeSantis over her state attorney suspension
- Monique Worrell: What to know about Florida state attorney suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis
- Andrew Bain: Who is the Florida judge replacing Monique Worrell as state attorney?
- Monique Worrell to continue bid for reelection amid suspension as state attorney: 'Prepared to fight'
- Here's what Florida leaders are saying about state attorney's suspension
- Monique Worrell's name wiped from state attorney's website amid suspension
She handed the items over, but she claims the state attorney's office later said she had failed to return the items.
"If they can't be honest about state property being returned, what else will they lie about?" Worrell said. A spokesperson with the state attorney's office confirmed Thursday night the items had, in fact, been returned.
Worrell also claims her chief of staff, who is on leave after having a baby, was also visited by armed investigators who were in search of social media passwords.
"This whole process has been inhumane, right, because the reality is, you can do a suspension. People get suspended every single day, but they don't bring in armed forces," Worrell said.
Worrell expects her suspension, which is without pay, to last for the remainder of her term. She told FOX 35 she is considering "legal options" and will focus on her 2024 reelection campaign.