ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell held a news conference Tuesday to address rumors that she could once again be removed from office.
Worrell said she received a phone call late Monday from someone who told her her removal was imminent.
“Last night I received a phone call from someone saying my removal was imminent,” Worrell said.
She did not publicly identify who called her, and there has been no announcement from Gov. Ron DeSantis that Worrell is being suspended.
Worrell said she believes a potential removal could be connected to her office’s interest in the controversy surrounding Hope Florida.
The issue received renewed attention last week after a leaked state grand jury report found that $10 million from a Medicaid settlement was misappropriated when it was directed to the Hope Florida Foundation and later moved through other organizations into political committees. The grand jury found insufficient evidence to criminally charge anyone.
[READ MORE: Grand jury report details handling of $10 million tied to Hope Florida investigation]
Worrell said Tuesday that her office had received information related to where some of the money was spent.
“Let me be completely clear: If I am removed from office, it will not be because I’m not doing my job,” Worrell said. “It will be because of concerns of what doing our job would look like for people on the other end of that removal.”
Worrell was removed once before
DeSantis suspended Worrell from office in August 2023, accusing her of neglect of duty and incompetence in the prosecution of crimes.
Worrell later ran for the office again and was elected by voters in 2024.
Her relationship with state Republican officials has remained contentious.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has criticized Worrell’s handling of criminal cases this year. During remarks Tuesday, Uthmeier again criticized prosecutors he believes are not seeking sufficiently tough outcomes in violent cases.
“I just want people to do their job. I want people to put bad guys away,” Uthmeier said. “When somebody kills or tries to kill another person, I don’t want them to get a slap on the wrist.”
No confirmation of another suspension
As of Tuesday afternoon, there had been no public announcement that DeSantis planned to suspend Worrell again.
Channel 9 reached out to the governor’s office for comment on Worrell’s remarks and was waiting to hear back.
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