DeSantis Suspends Israel

Governor DeSantis made the announcement this week that he would be suspending Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. It has been long rumored that DeSantis would take action after the Sheriff’s controversial actions during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. In turn, Israel received widespread criticism.

Now, the two-term sheriff, has been replaced by Gregory Tony, a former police sergeant from Coral Springs. Tony is also making history by being the first black sheriff of Broward County, who will have a $900 million budget, around 6,000 employees, and who’s agency provides law enforcement to a dozen cities, the county jail and also the Fort-Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

As a response, Israel is saying that he will fight the suspension. He argues that although some mistakes were made in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, they were not strong enough to call for his removal from office. Israel asserts that the move to suspend him is "about politics, not about Parkland."

Israel adds, "let's understand the suspension for what it really is, a massive political power grab by the governor to subvert the will of our Broward county voters."

In a news conference, Governor DeSantis made the announcement, and he allowed Parkland Parents to share their thoughts on the matter.

Tony Montalto, a parent who lost his daughter Gina in the shooting, said that “on behalf of all the families that lost loved one that day we thank the governor for taking this action.”

Governor DeSantis commented that “the neglect of duty and the incompetence that was connected to the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has been well documented, and I have no interest in dancing on Scott Israel’s political grave. But, suffice it to say that the massacre might never had happened had Broward had better leadership in its Sheriff’s department.”