Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell talks at a news conference on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell issued a statement Friday, accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis of pursuing a “witch hunt” after receiving a request from a state committeewoman for information on two human trafficking cases.
The statement sent by Worrell’s chief of state said that state Committeewoman Debbie Galvin contacted their office Friday for information on at least two human trafficking cases that were not prosecuted by Worrell’s office.
The statement claims the woman told them the information was for the governor, who needed it by Monday for a scheduled event. The governor is set to hold a news conference in Titusville.
“At this point, we have no idea who Ms. Galvin is and if she’s truly operating under the direction of the governor. The governor’s office is well aware of how to contact me and should go through the proper channels and protocols if they are truly making such requests,” the statement reads. “Ms. Galvin’s efforts support the fact that there aren’t any policies that would justify my suspension, and the Governor’s team is pursuing this witch-hunt to establish a basis for the removal of another duly-elected prosecutor.”
The governor’s office has not confirmed the request, but it’s not the first time Worrell has accused local officials of colluding with the governor to try and get her removed from office.
Following a string of shootings in Pine Hills — where 38-year-old Nathacha Augustin, 9-year-old T’yonna Major and Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons were killed — the governor’s office demanded the criminal records of the shooter, Keith Moses.
Ryan Newman, the general counsel for DeSantis’ office, sent a letter to Worrell demanding records related to Moses, including copies of all reports, letters, summaries, statements and emails regarding the 19-year-old suspect or decisions made about him, and copies of all documents related to his juvenile record. Newman also demanded information on any other individuals who committed a felony or violated the terms of their probation by being arrested and those who had a prior criminal history but were not prosecuted by Worrell’s office.
“You have to hold people accountable,” DeSantis said during a news conference. “(The) state attorney in Orlando thinks that you don’t prosecute people and that’s the way that you somehow have better communities. That does not work.”
Worrell said while it seems the attacks are on her, they are attacking those “on the frontlines daily bringing justice to thousands of victims.”
“He seeks to exploit his political agenda against me, while seeking to use current and former employees of the State Attorney’s Office, as well as individuals like Debbie Galvin, as investigators seeking to gather evidence to build and justify a baseless case against a prosecutor he simply disagrees with politically,” the statement said.
She also made similar accusations against both Orange County Sheriff John Mina and Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.
Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.
