Former Attorney General candidate weighs in on DeSantis' suspension of Hillsborough's state attorney

Sean Shaw on Primary Election Day, 2018. By Seán Kinane / WMNF News.

Last Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent shock waves across the state with an action he took in Hillsborough County. DeSantis suspended the elected State Attorney, Andrew Warren.

Sean Shaw on WMNF’s Tuesday Café

On WMNF’s Tuesday Café on 9 August 2022, we heard parts of a speech from DeSantis about why he made the surprising move. And we heard what critics of the decision have to say – including a statement that Warren released over the weekend. Warren said that he was “illegally removed” and that DeSantis was trying to “overthrow democracy.”

Our guest was former State Representative Sean Shaw (D-Tampa). He was the 2018 Democratic nominee for Attorney General and the former Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate.

Shaw told WMNF he was “shocked” when he heard the news that DeSantis had suspended Warren.

DeSantis’ reasons for suspending Warren

DeSantis’ executive order focuses on how he signed on to statements from prosecutors around the nation pledging that they won’t pursue criminal cases against people who seek or provide abortions or gender transition treatments.

It’s worth noting that Florida does not have a law against treatments for gender transition. In addition, a judge ruled that Florida’s new 15-week abortion ban violates the state constitution.

Support for DeSantis’ decision

We played clips from last Thursday’s press conference in which DeSantis announced the suspension. We heard from the governor, Attorney General Ashley Moody and former Tampa Police Chief Brian Doogan.

Doogan said he feels like he and his wife should be able to go out to dinner at night in our community without fearing they’re going to get “jacked.”

Shaw responded to that by telling WMNF, “Thank God Doogan is not Chief anymore.”