Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Florida Senate to oust suspended Broward Sheriff Scott Israel from office sooner rather than later.
DeSantis said Wednesday he thinks there’s still time for the Florida Senate to decide whether Israel should be removed from office before the legislative session ends on May 3.
If lawmakers can’t finish the job by then, DeSantis suggested calling them back for a special session.
He also wants the Florida Senate to uphold his decision to remove Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Mary Beth Jackson from office.
“We have time left,” DeSantis said. “They [Florida senators] need to go and vote on those. I think the people in both communities … were wondering why action hasn’t been taken. Both of those lawsuits were frivolous, and now they need to be judged according to the Florida Constitution.”
The governor can suspend officials, but the Florida Senate is charged with upholding or overturning the governor’s orders.
DeSantis suspended Israel shortly after taking office in January. He cited the agency’s failures during the mass shootings at the Fort Lauderdale airport and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as the reason.
The Republican-controlled Senate put the matter on hold because Israel filed a lawsuit contesting his suspension. The Florida Supreme Court ruled against Israel on Tuesday, writing that it is up to the Senate to hear the matter.
Israel, a Democrat, has maintained that the suspension was politically motivated. Regardless of the Senate’s decision, Israel says he’ll run for re-election next year.
Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, wrote that the Senate will handle the hearing “as expeditiously as possible,” but he has not given a time frame.
The Senate’s special master — Dudley Goodlette — gave Israel and the governor’s legal staff until 5 p.m. Friday to submit a proposed schedule for the hearing.
Staff writer Gray Rohrer contributed to this report.
sswisher@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6634 or @SkylerSwisher