Hillsborough’s Andrew Warren federal trial now set for Nov. 29

A federal trial challenging the suspension of twice-elected Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren is set to begin Nov. 29, after the November 8 election and midterm races.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Warren in early August, alleging that Warren would not prosecute certain cases, such as a new state abortion restriction or a potential law banning surgeries for transgender children, according to the governor’s executive order.

Warren challenged his suspension in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, claiming it amounted to a purge over political differences in violation of the First Amendment and Florida Constitution, according to the Florida Phoenix. Hinkle rejected his request for reinstatement but also the state’s request to dismiss the case.

“We had requested a trial a month sooner, but the Court’s schedule makes sure the governor’s office can respond to Hurricane Ian while also helping the Court and the public get to the truth,” Warren said in a written statement Tuesday.

In a press release, Warren’s legal team says that potential witnesses in the case include DeSantis and other advisors, such as Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, then-Press Secretary Christina Pushaw, “public safety czar” Larry Keefe, as well as Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

Warren’s team also lists as potential witnesses “a state representative, and three Florida sheriffs who spoke at the campaign rally-like press conference where the suspension was announced.”

The three sheriffs who attended that event were Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

DeSantis’ executive order suspending Warren listed four writings as the basis for the suspension and concluded that they constituted a “blanked refusal” to enforce certain laws. But Judge Hinkle wrote in his order, dated Sept. 29, that with the “possible exception of one sentence, nothing in any of the four writings explicitly announced a blanket refusal to prosecute cases of any kind.”

DeSantis replaced Warren with Hillsborough County Judge Susan Lopez, who immediately reversed several enforcement policies enacted by Warren, including a controversial bike-stop policy accused of being racist, WTVT Fox-13 reported.