Recap of Warren v. DeSantis trial; plus Tampa Police Chief resigns

In August, Governor Ron DeSantis suspended the elected State Attorney in Hillsborough County, Andrew Warren.

Warren sued DeSantis and there was a three-day trial last week in Tallahassee.

On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we were joined by a law professor to talk about the issues raised during last week’s trial in Warren versus DeSantis — Louis Virelli, a professor of constitutional law at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport.

Listen to the full show here:

Watch the interview with Louis Virelli:

Moore v. Harper

WMNF also asked Professor Virelli about a case the U.S. Supreme Court with the potential to reshape elections for Congress and the presidency. The justices are hearing arguments Wednesday over the power of state courts to strike down congressional districts drawn by the legislature because they violate state constitutions. Virelli says it could give state legislatures unprecedented power.

“In Moore v. Harper, if North Carolina were to win, it would be to say that the North Carolina legislature could make rules – even if they violate their own state constitution – and their state court judges couldn’t do anything about it.

“Why is that relevant to gerrymandering? Because if you’ve already drawn districts that perpetuate one party’s success, that party can act without any checks on them internally and perpetuate that success indefinitely.”

Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor resigns

We also spoke with Justin Garcia, the Creative Loafing reporter who requested the body cam video that led to the resignation of Tampa’s Police Chief.