Staff Reports
Andrew Warren, the former state attorney for Hillsborough County, has suffered another setback at the hands of the Florida Supreme Court which ruled 6-1 against his request on Thursday to be reinstated. Warren, whose political agenda was backed by leftist billionaire George Soros, was removed from his position by Governor Ron DeSantis in August 2020 after making the pledge not to prosecute crimes related to abortion and transgender issues.
This recent decision is a massive blow to Warren as the reason for the court’s refusal to grant his petition was his unreasonable delay, while he offered no explanation for the hold-up. WFLA, a local news outlet, reported that Warren waited for almost five months after U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle dismissed his case in January. However, the matter needed to be dealt with at the state level, leading Hinkle to cite the 11thAmendment. The Florida Supreme Court, therefore, found that Warren’s petition was filed too late to be considered.
Florida Supreme Court Won't Reinstate State Attorney Andrew Warren Ousted by DeSantis https://t.co/9LgUKOAer7
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 23, 2023
The court’s decision was a reflection of its dissatisfaction with the unreasonable delay in the proceedings. The court stated that Warren’s claims did not transform him from a “final judgment loser” into a “partially prevailing party.” WFLA also reported that Warren and his attorney are disappointed with the ruling. His attorney, Jean-Jacques Cabou, was quoted as saying, “We are deeply disappointed that the Florida Supreme Court refused to evaluate the merits of Mr. Warren’s illegal suspension and instead ruled against him on procedural grounds.”
The saga started when Warren wrote to DeSantis on January 25, asking to remain in office. However, Bryan Griffin, who served as DeSantis’ then press secretary, confirmed that Warren would stay suspended. Late last month, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals heard Warren’s case. DeSantis had the support of state attorneys general from 14 states through an amicus brief filed before the court.
Warren’s next option is to appeal to the State Senate in Florida, but with his pledge earlier to ignore certain criminal cases, it is unclear if he has any democrat allies remaining in the Republican-controlled chamber. The merits of Warren’s case have yet to be ruled upon, but the refusal of the Florida Supreme Court to accede to Warren’s request could hint at the weakness of his argument.
Source: Townhall
