Andrew Warren Asks Gov. DeSantis To Reinstate Him As State Attorney

TAMPA, FL — Following Friday's ruling by a federal judge concluding that Gov. Ron DeSantis violated the Florida Constitution and First Amendment when he suspended twice-elected State Attorney Andrew Warren from office, Warren has sent a letter to DeSantis asking the governor to rescind his suspension.

In his ruling, federal Judge Robert Hinkle said he didn't have the authority to reinstate Warren but called on the governor to follow the law.

"If the facts matter, the governor can simply rescind the suspension," Hinkle said.

“The judge’s ruling is crystal clear: the governor’s accusations against me were totally false and the suspension was illegal," Warren said. "I think if you ask anyone who believes in the rule of law, they’ll tell you what the governor should do is obvious.”

See related:

• Judge Says DeSantis Illegally Suspended Hillsborough State Attorney
• DeSantis Seeks To Avoid Giving Deposition In Andrew Warren Lawsuit
• DeSantis Must Testify In Andrew Warren's Lawsuit Following Suspension
• Nov. 29 Trial Set In Ousted State Attorney's Suit Against DeSantis
• Lawsuit Filed Against DeSantis Over FL State Attorney's Ouster
• 183 Legal Scholars File Briefs Opposing Suspension Of State Attorney

Warren said he was duly elected by the people of Hillsborough County but was replaced by a DeSantis appointee, Susan Lopez, when DeSantis ousted him from his office in August.

“When the governor and I were sworn in, we both put our hands on the Bible and swore to uphold the laws of Florida and the United States," said Warren. "Now a federal judge has ruled that I did my part and that the governor broke his oath. This is the opportunity for the governor to do the right thing and show that his oath to uphold the law wasn’t just empty words.”

With no prior notice to Warren, DeSantis summarily removed the Democratic state attorney for Hillsborough County from office on Aug. 4 "due to neglect of duty, incompetence and willful defiance of his duties as early as June 2021 when he signed a joint statement with other elected prosecutors in support of gender-transition treatments for children and bathroom usage based on gender identity."

Although no law had been passed making gender-transition treatments for children illegal, DeSantis maintained that Warren had failed to perform his lawful duties in stating he opposed banning gender-transition treatments, an issue that DeSantis favors.

DeSantis also said Warren neglected his duties when he joined other state attorneys in signing a pledge not to prosecute doctors and women who violated the state’s 15-week ban.