Suzy Lopez sworn in as Hillsborough State Attorney

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Suzy Lopez was sworn in as the first female elected state attorney of Hillsborough County Tuesday.

An audience of police, community leaders, and top Florida officials including US Attorney General Nominee Pam Bondi cheered on Lopez at her swearing-in ceremony. She stood alongside her mother as she tearfully thanked the audience.  

“Thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for believing in me,” Lopez said.

Governor Ron Desantis spoke at her swearing-in ceremony.

DeSantis congratulated Lopez, but only after making a dig at her challenger, former Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren.  

“Now under Suzy, we can say definitively, the inmates are not running the asylum in Hillsborough County. The criminals are being held accountable, as they should be,” DeSantis said.

Lopez was appointed to the position in 2022 by Governor Ron DeSantis to replace Andrew Warren.

DeSantis suspended Warren for a neglect of duty after Warren signed a petition refusing to prosecute certain abortion and transgender cases.

In November, Lopez was elected. Now, she says she’s looking forward instead of looking back. 

“I’m the first female duly elected state attorney of Hillsborough County, and we’ve got work to do. So everything that happened in the campaign happened in the campaign. The voters made their choice, and I’m ready to get back to work,” Lopez said.

At the ceremony, DeSantis highlighted “star-studded” audience members, many from Hillsborough County. 

“You’re going to have the U.S. attorney general from Hillsborough County, the Attorney General of Florida from Hillsborough County, and now Suzie Lipez, a law and order state attorney representing Hillsborough County. That’s a murderer’s row of prosecutors that would make any criminal blush.” DeSantis said.

Lopez, a Tampa native, said she will prioritize public safety.