Local

Orange-Osceola state attorney still on the job after rumblings DeSantis would remove her from office

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell is still on the job, despite her office saying last week that they believed the governor was going to suspend her on Monday.

Worrell’s office said a Republican committeewoman requested information on at least two human trafficking cases that her office did not prosecute. It’s something Worrell’s office said the governor wanted in preparation for a news conference on Monday.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

“This isn’t about whether or not my policies are a danger to public safety. This is about the governor wanting to control the politics across this state,” Worrell said.

Instead, the topic of the governor’s news conference in Titusville was regarding bills meant to demonstrate the state’s “tough on crime” stance.

Read: Orange-Osceola State Attorney says governor may suspend her

When asked Monday about whether he intended to remove Worrell from office, he deflected the question.

“Apparently people were saying that was what was going to happen today. I think she was rummaging about that if I’m not mistaken,” DeSantis said. “We’re here to sign really good legislation were here to uphold law and order. If she thought somehow she was going to be removed, why is she thinking that? Is she doing something that deserves removal? I don’t know.”

Watch: Central Florida Spotlight: Monique Worrell

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

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.