DeSantis-suspended state attorney backed by Soros-funded PAC in 2020, records show

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – The latest state attorney to be suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis received the support from liberal billionaire donor George Soros’ money in the 2020 election, records show.

Florida’s Voice reported on the link between Soros and suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell of Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit in 2022, in reference to a suspected shooter being released on a small bond.

Our Vote Our Voice PAC raised over $2 million during the 2020 election cycle, when Worrell was elected to her office.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, organizers of the PAC said that at least $1.5 million used in an ad spending blitz was for the purpose of supporting Worrell’s state attorney bid.

According to state records, $1 million came from Democracy PAC.

Democracy PAC was created by Soros in 2019 in an effort to propel his desired candidates to electoral victories in the 2020 election cycle.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Our Vote Our Voice spent $1.5 million in just under two weeks to support Worrell, “more twice as much money as the total amount the four candidates have spent — combined — through their own campaigns.”

In 2020, Worrell defeated Independent opponent Jose Torroella by around 33 points.

Her district – the Ninth – covers a portion of Central Florida that includes Osceola and Orange County.

DeSantis suspended Worrell on Wednesday for a litany of reasons relating to dereliction of duty, such as not pursuing mandatory minimum sentences for various crimes, allowing some juvenile offenders to avoid “serious charges and incarceration altogether,” limiting charges for child pornography, and more.

“We had a duty to act – to protect the public from this dereliction of duty,” the governor said.

DeSantis appointed Orlando Judge Andrew Bain to replace Worrell.

“Monique Worrell’s administration of criminal justice in the ninth circuit have been clearly and fundamentally derelict, so as to constitute both neglect of duty and incompetence,” he added.

In August 2022, DeSantis suspended Andrew Warren, a Hillsborough County-area state attorney, “backed by Soros,” over vowing to not enforce certain laws, such as prohibitions on child sex changes and abortion restrictions.

In early-2022, Worrell took heat from Orange County Sheriff John Mina for a suspected four-time shooter being let free from jail on a $3,550 bond.

“We are just flabbergasted and don’t understand why this violent person is back out on the streets so quickly,” Mina said.

“We just need our state attorneys’ offices and judges to help us out.”

Earlier this year, Worrell was criticized by DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., after an alleged shooter with a criminal history was not put behind bars for an adult offense prior to reportedly killing three people.

At the time, Scott demanded Worrell’s office “deliver the justice and accountability needed for the families affected by shootings in her district.”

“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” Scott said earlier this year. “Every prosecutor that chose to give this young criminal a pass should be fired TODAY, and State Attorney Worrell must immediately account for how her office failed to protect the community from a violent criminal and outline what she’s changing to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

Wednesday, Scott noted he believed at the time suspending Worrell “would be fully justified.”

“She failed to do her job. Families deserve better.”