Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis Wednesday morning, for the second time, suspended a Black elected Democratic State Attorney and replaced them with an appointee of his own choosing.DeSantis, who is also running for president, says he is suspending Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell "for ...
The Florida constitution allows a governor to remove an elected official for “malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, habitual drunkenness, incompetence, or permanent inability to perform official duties.” No previous Florida executive has interpreted that power as broadly as DeSantis. The state Senate can reinstate Worrell, but the chamber is controlled by Republicans closely aligned with DeSantis and have rarely stood in his way.
Warren’s attempts at reinstatement have failed. A federal judge ruled DeSantis had acted unconstitutionally in suspending Warren, writing that there was “not a hint of misconduct by Mr. Warren” in the trial record, but he ultimately dismissed the case saying he did not have the power to intervene on a state matter. The state Supreme Court tossed Warren’s lawsuit in state court earlier this summer.
Monique Worrell was the attorney recently dismissed and Andrew Warren is the one who was dismissed last year.
Things like this always make me wonder if a state could legally turn into a dictatorship.
Could Florida legally change it’s constitution to say “All governing power rests entirely in Ron DeSantis” and dissolve it’s representative bodies? Obviously it would still be beholden to voters for national elections (representatives and senators), but statewide there could be nothing.
Technically, no. The Constitution says “the United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,” but “republican” has historically been very loosely interpreted. Technically, China and North Korea are both republics.
Well part of the problem is that there isn’t total agreement on what a republic is. By some definitions it’s basically anything that isn’t a monarchy. Some medieval republics didn’t have elections and instead chose their officials by sortition, which is essentially a lottery. China and North Korea do have elections, but they’re total shams (and North Korea is basically a monarchy is a thin coat of republican paint, since by law they can’t have any leader that isn’t descended from Kim Il Sung).
How the frick is this legal?
When fascists take power, everything they do is legal.
But we still have courts in this country.
Yeah, but it’s a state matter ruled on by state judges. Who do you think appointed the state judges?
Surely some federal labor law could cover it.
Labor law? As far as the feds are concerned, you can be fired for your political opinions.
Lol the courts that the fascists have been filling with other fascists to say that fascism is legal?
When they’ve been stacked with Federalist Society judges, are they courts, or are they “courts”?
The poor people are still mostly have to abide by the court system.
From a CNN article:
Monique Worrell was the attorney recently dismissed and Andrew Warren is the one who was dismissed last year.
Things like this always make me wonder if a state could legally turn into a dictatorship.
Could Florida legally change it’s constitution to say “All governing power rests entirely in Ron DeSantis” and dissolve it’s representative bodies? Obviously it would still be beholden to voters for national elections (representatives and senators), but statewide there could be nothing.
Technically, no. The Constitution says “the United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,” but “republican” has historically been very loosely interpreted. Technically, China and North Korea are both republics.
They’re not technically republics, they’re nominally republics.
Well part of the problem is that there isn’t total agreement on what a republic is. By some definitions it’s basically anything that isn’t a monarchy. Some medieval republics didn’t have elections and instead chose their officials by sortition, which is essentially a lottery. China and North Korea do have elections, but they’re total shams (and North Korea is basically a monarchy is a thin coat of republican paint, since by law they can’t have any leader that isn’t descended from Kim Il Sung).
According to Putin, from the Russian republic, there’s no need to hold elections if you know what the likely result will be.
Possibly. The problem is that the founders decided to bake in armed revolt as a safe guard instead if, you know, reasonable solutions.
Why the fuck? You know, besides the fascism…
Thank you for providing an actual answer!
More importantly, who is going to stop them?
It’s not…but unless someone actually stands up to him, it’s just another crime our politicians get away with.
Rubber-stamp legislature that will refuse to hear any complaints.
He will make it legal. (prequel reference, had to do it!)