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Newly appointed State Attorney Andrew Bain talks relationship with DeSantis, job priorities

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The man picked to replace State Attorney Monique Worrell sat down for his first interview with Channel 9 on Friday.

Andrew Bain spoke with investigative reporter Shannon Butler about the political firestorm, process that got him in the office, and his new policies.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Bain on Wednesday. DeSantis suspended Worrell after he said she neglected her duty as the state attorney.

Bain says he got a call from the governor asking him to be the state attorney about two weeks ago and has been working privately since then to figure out what his first orders of business would be.

Read: Newly appointed Orange-Osceola state attorney says he’ll review cases, speed up trials

Critics said Worrell was soft on crime. Worrell has always maintained that was not true, that she followed the law, and even said some law enforcement cases were weak.

Bain said he would not put harsher sentences in, that he would just follow the law.

Read: Andrew Bain: Who is the state attorney appointed to replace Monique Worrell?

For the last 50-plus hours in the office, he said he’s been meeting with community members and his staff to introduce himself. But there are questions about this appointment and if there is a strong alliance to DeSantis.

Read: Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell

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Shannon Butler

Shannon Butler, WFTV.com

Shannon joined the Eyewitness News team in 2013.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.

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