Andrew Howard Warren (born 1977) is an American prosecutor and politician who served as the state attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida,covering Hillsborough County,from 2017 through his August 2022 suspension by Governor Ron DeSantis. On June 22,2023,the Florida State Supreme Court dismissed a suit filed by Warren challenging his dismissal. In Warren's federal lawsuit,the case remains pending at the district court level after a U.S. Court of Appeals remanded the case in early 2024. Warren was previously a federal prosecutor in the fraud division at the United States Department of Justice.
In November 2016,Democrat Warren narrowly defeated incumbent Republican prosecutor Mark Ober 50.4 to 49.6 percent to become the state attorney of Florida's 13th Judicial Circuit,Hillsborough County.[3][4] He campaigned as a progressive prosecutor focused on public safety,fairness and justice.[3][5] Warren claims that criminal justice reform is needed to maximize long-term public safety by focusing on all the goals of the system:accountability and punishment,reducing recidivism,rehabilitation,and victims' rights.[6][3][7] He took office on January 3,2017.[4] In 2018,Warren established a conviction review unit.[8] Through working with the Innocence Project,the unit led to the exoneration of Robert DuBoise who was imprisoned for 37 years.[8] In April 2020,he prosecuted a megachurch pastor for violating COVID-19 lockdown requirements.[8] Warren dropped the charges after governor Ron DeSantis passed an executive order.[8] In 2020,he was reelected by 53 percent to a second four-year term.[9]
In June 2022,he signed a statement with other prosecutors in opposition to prosecuting individuals who sought or provided abortions.[9] Citing this statement,Gov. DeSantis suspended Warren on August 4,2022.[10] Hillsborough County Judge Susan Lopez was appointed by DeSantis as acting state attorney.[11] In January 2023,Federal Judge Robert Hinkle found that DeSantis had violated Warren's first amendment rights and the Constitution of Florida.[9] Hinkle stated that the federal courts lacked the authority to reinstate Warren as it is a state law issue.[12] In February 2023,Warren appealed the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.[13][14][15] Meanwhile,in June 2023,the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Warren had engaged in an unreasonable delay in requesting their help,and therefore decided not to address the merits of his case.[16]
In January 2024,a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Warren. The opinion,authored by Judge Jill A. Pryor,stated that Hinkle does have the authority to reinstate Warren and sent the case back for review,giving DeSantis an opportunity to provide justification for the suspension without violating Warren's rights under the First Amendment.[17][18] On April 16,2024,while his federal lawsuit remained pending,Warren announced that he was seeking re-election as Hillsborough’s state attorney.[19] In the November 2024 general election,Warren faced Susan "Suzy" Lopez,the Republican appointed by Gov. DeSantis to replace him.[20] Unlike his counterpart in Orange-Osceola,Monique Worrell,also dismissed by the governor,Warren lost his bid for re-election.[21]
Personal life
Warren met Alexandra Coler on his first day at Brandeis University.[1] They parted ways before marrying in 2006 in Philadelphia.[1] On August 4,2009,his wife was in a car accident while she was eight months pregnant.[1] His son,Zack,died shortly after birth.[1] They later had two daughters.[1]
Electoral history
State Attorney of Florida's 13th Judicial Circuit,Hillsborough County,2016 general election results[22]
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