Andrew Warren disputes DeSantis’ contention that Hillsborough County is safer now

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Redington Shores, in Pinellas County, on April 24, 2024 (photo credit: Mitch Perry)Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his suspension of Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren on Wednesday, but declined to comment on whether he would suspend Warren again if the two-time elected prosecutor is reelected.

Warren has been battling for the past 20 months to be reinstated to his job through the courts — he won a legal victory in January that could mean a reinstatement, though the case has yet to be resolved.  He filed for reelection last week for the top prosecutor’s job.

During a bill signing media availability held in Pinellas County, DeSantis made several remarks about Warren’s suspension:

“My action was based on the constitutional authority I have as governor, and it was appropriate what we did, and it has made Hillsborough County safer as a result,” the governor said in response to a question offered by a Florida Phoenix reporter.

He added: “Criminals are held accountable in a much more significant way since Suzy Lopez has been the state attorney there in Hillsborough County. That’s just a fact. Talk to any of the sheriff’s deputies. Talk to the sheriff himself about the change that’s happened. Recycling criminals and letting them out going easy, that doesn’t work. And so our actions were appropriate. People can do whatever.”

After another reporter asked DeSantis whether he would resuspend Warren if the former prosecutor would be reelected, DeSantis did not directly respond, but said:

“If ifs and buts were candy and nuts everyday would be Christmas,” he said to laughter from the audience, packed with local Republican elected officials and supporters. “I think it’s all going to work out, and I think it’s going to be good.”

Later, DeSantis said he didn’t believe that elected prosecutors had “a right” to say that they would not prosecute certain laws that they don’t like, such as charging minors.  “You don’t have the right to hijack the law, to go off on some ideological joyride to do whatever you want. You take an oath to apply that law.”

Warren fired back in a text message later in the day, asserting that it is Lopez who is actually weak on crime.

“The governor has proven that he has no regard for the constitution or the truth,” Warren said. “While he has installed a political appointee who is soft on violent crime, my record of success speaks for itself. Under my watch, crime went down over 30% in 5 years, and we made Hillsborough the safest large county in Florida. We had a productive partnership with law enforcement, who repeatedly stood with me as we implemented policies that reduced crime. The governor’s talking points don’t change those indisputable facts.”

According to statistics provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in 2021, Warren’s last full year in office, Hillsborough County had a crime rate per 100,000 population of 1,400.2, which was lower than Miami-Dade (2,859.6), Broward (2,434.8), Duval (3,508.1), Orange (2804.4) and Palm Beach County (2,299.3).

The Phoenix reached out to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister regarding DeSantis’ remarks.

“State Attorney Suzy Lopez is a valued partner in the fight against a crime,” he said in a text message. “She is prosecuting criminals and relentless in pursuing justice for victims. Hillsborough County is a safer place because of Suzy Lopez.”  However, he did not provide any data with his comments.

Chronister is a Republican, as is Lopez. Warren is a Democrat.

DeSantis suspended Warren in August of 2022 for alleged “neglect of duty” and “incompetence,” claiming he went too easy on criminals with some of his policies and that he had signed policy statements objecting to the criminalization of abortion and transgender care. He replaced Warren with Lopez, a former state prosecutor who DeSantis had appointed as a judge in Hillsborough County seven months earlier. She is now going before the voters for the first time this fall and has already raised more than $470,000 combined in two political campaign accounts.

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