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Tag: florida attorney general

  • Trump backs James Uthmeier for Florida attorney general in 2026



    Credit: via James Uthmeier/X

    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier received a big boost in his bid for a full four-year term next year when President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he was endorsing him in 2026.

    “James Uthmeier is a Strong Conservative Fighter and Prosecutor, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump posted on his Truth Social page.

    “James is an America First Warrior, who is a true champion for ‘MAGA,’” the president added. “He is THE MAN behind ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ, and argued strongly at the United States Supreme Court in defense of my Executive Power to fire Deep State bureaucrats. Under James’ fearless leadership, over 1,000 CRIMINAL PEDOPHILES have been arrested, missing children have been SAVED, and our Great Members of Law Enforcement have been empowered to do their jobs and, KEEP FLORIDA SAFE. In his next term, James will continue to work tirelessly to Ensure Law and Order, Uphold our Constitutional Rights, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.”

    The endorsement came a month after reports surfaced that the president was considering backing Florida Speaker of the House Daniel Perez for AG.

    Uthemier, 37, is a close ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

    The governor appointed him in February to serve as attorney general, after the office fell vacant when DeSantis appointed Ashley Moody to replace Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate. Next year’s election will be the first time he has ever run for political office.

    Earlier, Uthmeier served for more than three years as chief of staff to DeSantis. He also served for several months as campaign manager in the governor’s unsuccessful candidacy for president in 2023-2024, replacing Generra Peck in August 2023.

    While the Trump endorsement is big, it doesn’t mean it’s all clear sailing for Uthmeier. That’s because of his involvement in the controversy surrounding Hope Florida, the state program First Lady Casey DeSantis created to move Floridians off government services and into private charity.

    That story revolves around a $10 million from a Medicaid over-billing settlement the DeSantis administration steered to the Hope Florida Foundation in 2024. That money was ultimately diverted to a political committee created to fight a proposed constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana that Uthmeier headed.

    Florida Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, chaired a committee in the Florida House during the 2025 legislative session that investigated the story. He has accused the attorney general of money laundering and wire fraud, and has called on him to resign.

    Uthmeier has denied any wrongdoing.

    The story resurfaced last week after the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald reported that the state’s attorney in Tallahassee has convened a grand jury relating to the Hope Florida Foundation.

    ‘America-first’

    During his swearing-in ceremony in February, Uthmeier promised to champion an “America-first” agenda. “We will not stand idly by as the left tries to infiltrate our institutions and use the court system to indoctrinate our kids,” Uthmeier said. “We will fight the activists that try to weaken our duly enacted laws, that try to challenge the constitutional order, and that try to harm the unborn.”

    Uthmeier has raised nearly $600,000 in his regular campaign account, and more than $2 million through his political committee, Friends of James Uthmeier.

    Among the Democrats running for the nomination for attorney general next year, the best-known candidate is former South Florida state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez.

    Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Contact Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.

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    Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
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  • ‘Gruesome and horrific’: Florida attorney general criticizes Worrell over prosecution decisions

    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said nonprosecution policies in Orlando are putting families at risk. During a news conference Friday, Uthmeier said Orlando has a pattern of “soft-on-crime policies.”Uthmeier called out 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell for not pressing charges on “gruesome and horrific” child predator cases.In one case, a man on a park bench was accused of masturbating while facing multiple kids playing. Uthmeier said that, although there was video evidence and testimonies from people, Worrell decided that charges did not need to be brought. “She gave this man a free walk in the park, and now other kids are in jeopardy,” Uthmeier said. In another case, a suspect was accused of sharing videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. However, Worrell dropped all charges, according to Uthmeier. “Soft-on-crime policies do not work,” Uthmeier said. Uthmeier said child predators should be prosecuted to the fullest.In August, Worrell reported a 21% decrease in the backlog of nonarrest cases, though more than 10,000 cases remain. She emphasized the need for increased funding to retain prosecutors and improve trial statistics.Worrell responded during her own news conference, addressing the attorney general’s claims. “It is an outright reckless disregard for the truth to suggest that I have non-prosecution policies on the books,” Worrell said. She defended her office’s handling of the cases mentioned by Uthmeier, sharing notes from the attorney on the Chapman case. “I’m not standing before you today telling you that what happened in that park was wrong. But I am standing before you today telling you that I trust the word of the attorney who was assigned to this case when he said, although those actions were wrong, he could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were illegal,” Worrell said.Worrell criticized the attorney general’s approach, stating that instead of collaborating with her office to address crime, Uthmeier’s conferences spread misinformation and prioritize politics over public safety.Related stories below:

    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said nonprosecution policies in Orlando are putting families at risk.

    During a news conference Friday, Uthmeier said Orlando has a pattern of “soft on crime policies.”

    Uthmeier called out 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell for not pressing charges on “gruesome and horrific” child predator cases.

    In one case, a man on a park bench was accused of masturbating while facing multiple kids playing.

    Uthmeier said that, although there was video evidence and testimonies from people, Worrell decided that charges did not need to be brought.

    “She gave this man a free walk in the park, and now other kids are in jeopardy,” Uthmeier said.

    In another case, a suspect was accused of sharing videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. However, Worrell dropped all charges, according to Uthmeier.

    “Soft-on-crime policies do not work,” Uthmeier said.

    Uthmeier said child predators should be prosecuted to the fullest.

    In August, Worrell reported a 21% decrease in the backlog of nonarrest cases, though more than 10,000 cases remain.

    She emphasized the need for increased funding to retain prosecutors and improve trial statistics.

    Worrell responded during her own news conference, addressing the attorney general’s claims.

    “It is an outright reckless disregard for the truth to suggest that I have non-prosecution policies on the books,” Worrell said.

    She defended her office’s handling of the cases mentioned by Uthmeier, sharing notes from the attorney on the Chapman case.

    “I’m not standing before you today telling you that what happened in that park was wrong. But I am standing before you today telling you that I trust the word of the attorney who was assigned to this case when he said although those actions were wrong, he could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were illegal,” Worrell said.

    Worrell criticized the attorney general’s approach, stating that instead of collaborating with her office to address crime, Uthmeier’s conferences spread misinformation and prioritize politics over public safety.

    Related stories below:

    [related id=’52ae0bfe-5c89-44de-8877-7251671bec78′ align=’center’ source=””][/relate

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