In the wake of a disputed election outcome, Andrew Bain, the Orange-Osceola State Attorney, has communicated to his staff that, for the time being, he won't be assisting Monique Worrell with her transition into office. Bain underscored his acceptance of the election results but highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding the situation, as reported by WFTV. Bain is currently performing the duties of the state attorney role after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him following Worrell's suspension in 2023.
Andrew Bain, who lost November's election to Worrell by a margin of 57%, sent an email to his staff expressing his doubts about the legality of Worrell retaking the position. Particularly, he questioned whether Gov. DeSantis' suspension order, which lacks an end date, could preclude Worrell from resuming her duties as state attorney, as uncovered in a memo detailed by ClickOrlando. Bain's concerns are compounded by the fact that the Florida Constitution suggests another path for reinstatement could be through a Florida Senate hearing, which Worrell has not pursued.
This standoff comes despite Worrell's recent electoral victory. She has described the ordeal as a “hostile transition” and has been forced to request public records to ascertain the number of employees within the state attorney’s office to assemble her team. “I should have full access to facilitate a seamless handover, but I’ve had to resort to public records requests just to gather basic information,” Worrell stated, as per ClickOrlando.
Gov. DeSantis had suspended Worrell, citing neglect of duty and incompetence, which her legal team vehemently contested. Despite that, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed her suspension, although the court refrained from examining the evidence against her. In trying to navigate these murky waters, Bain has reportedly advised his staff to carefully consider their futures as the office's direction remains uncertain. "Since I cannot guarantee what will happen, I encourage you each to do what is best for you and your families at this point and will not think less of anyone who seeks employment elsewhere,” Bain pointed out in an email to the Ninth Judicial Circuit staff, as reported by ClickOrlando.
