Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Home Local news Florida Agrees to $40K Settlement Over DeSantis’ Removal of Orange-Osceola State Attorney
  • Local news

Florida Agrees to $40K Settlement Over DeSantis’ Removal of Orange-Osceola State Attorney

    State to pay $40K settlement tied to Florida Gov. DeSantis suspension of Orange-Osceola state attorney
    Up next
    Trump and DOGE can cut Social Security Administration
    Could Trump’s Actions and Dogecoin Affect Social Security?
    Published on 08 May 2025
    Author
    Internewscast
    Tags
    • 40K,
    • attorney,
    • desantis,
    • DeSantis Suspends Worrell,
    • Florida,
    • gov,
    • Investigators,
    • Monique Worrell,
    • orange county,
    • OrangeOsceola,
    • Orlando,
    • Osceola County,
    • Pay,
    • Politics,
    • ron desantis,
    • settlement,
    • State,
    • suspension,
    • tied
    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest

    ORLANDO, Fla. – Nearly two years after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell, state officials have agreed to pay $40,000 to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by one of Worrell’s former employees, records obtained by News 6 show.

    Keisha Mulfort, who served as Worrell’s chief of staff and public information officer, was fired from the state attorney’s office on Aug. 9, 2023, the same day DeSantis suspended Worrell for what the governor described as incompetence and neglect of duty.

    Mulfort was at home on maternity leave when she was terminated by Andrew Bain, who DeSantis appointed as state attorney to replace Worrell, according to a federal civil lawsuit filed by Mulfort last year.

    Prior to learning she had been fired, Mulfort claimed that state attorney’s office employees and armed sheriff’s deputies showed up at her home on Aug. 10 to retrieve social media passwords and repossess state property.

    “Y’all should have made arrangements. That would have been the respectful thing to do. I am here with my 10-week-old daughter,” Mulfort can be heard saying on a cell phone video recorded during the encounter.

    [Watch our previous coverage below]

    “I was a first-time mom — recovering from childbirth, navigating postpartum complications, nursing my newborn daughter, and adjusting to life as a new mom,” Mulfort said in a statement to News 6. “I had just brought life into this world, and in one of the most sacred and vulnerable times of my life, I was terminated — without warning, while on approved maternity leave, without basic human decency.”

    “By repeatedly directing Plaintiff to perform work-related activities and then terminating Plaintiff’s employment while she was on leave under the [Family and Medical Leave Act], Defendant interfered with Plaintiff’s FMLA rights,” Mulfort alleged in her lawsuit.

    The Office of Florida’s Attorney General, which represented the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office in the litigation, denied Mulfort’s allegations and unsuccessfully sought to get the lawsuit dismissed.

    Earlier this year, Mulford agreed to withdraw her FMLA claims and drop Bain as a defendant while continuing to pursue other civil rights claims against the state attorney’s office, court records show.

    Following mediation last month, records show Mulfort and representatives of Florida’s Office of Attorney General agreed to settle the lawsuit for $40,000.

    About $21,500 of the settlement is designated as back pay and compensatory damages for Mulfort, the agreement states, with the balance intended to cover Mulfort’s attorney fees.

    Under the settlement agreement, the state “denies any wrongdoing or unlawful acts” while Mulfort acknowledged that she “has not been denied leave under the Family Medical Leave Act.”

    “This settlement doesn’t fix what they did to me or my family. It doesn’t undo the trauma or restore what was stolen from me,” Mulfort told News 6. “It does, however, close the door on a chapter built on cruelty and cowardice. It allows me to move forward without carrying the weight of their actions. And it frees me to release people who were never worthy of my trust, my loyalty, or my forgiveness.”

    Mulfort, who now works in the private sector, did not return to the state attorney’s office after Worrell won re-election last fall.

    “I’ve worked for the State of Florida for over 10 years,” said Mulfort. “I went above and beyond daily in that office — to the point I was working on the day my child was born. I served with integrity, diligence, and with a deep commitment to this community. And when I needed even a fraction of that care in return, I was met with this despicable act.”

    Representatives from the governor’s office did not immediately comment on the settlement. A spokesperson for the Orange-Osceola state attorney’s office declined to comment.

    “Our office represented the Ninth Circuit State Attorney’s Office in an employment action,” said a spokesperson for Florida’s Attorney General. “The Office of the Attorney General routinely handles such matters for state agencies and constitutional officers. The settlement that was reached at mediation speaks for itself.”

    Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.

    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest
    You May Also Like
    Georgia Southern expands sponsored student programs with new federal grant
    • Local news

    Georgia Southern University Secures Federal Grant to Enhance Sponsored Student Programs

    SAVANNAH, Ga. – In a significant financial boost, Georgia Southern University (GSU)…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    GOP senators worry about Trump, Hegseth shutdown moves
    • Local news

    GOP Senators Express Concerns Over Shutdown Strategies by Trump and Hegseth

    Republican senators are expressing concerns over President Donald Trump’s approach to ensuring…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Pinellas County family still not paid $10.2 million in mother's wrongful death lawsuit
    • Local news

    Pinellas County Family Awaits Justice: $10.2 Million Wrongful Death Settlement Unpaid

    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A family in Pinellas County is steadfastly…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Ace Frehley, legendary Kiss guitarist, dies at 74
    • Local news

    Rock Legend Ace Frehley, Iconic Kiss Guitarist, Passes Away at 74

    Ace Frehley, hailing from the Bronx, is celebrated as one of the…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Rare ‘spooky’ lobster donated to marine biologists
    • Local news

    Rare ‘Spooky’ Lobster Donation Sparks Excitement Among Marine Biologists

    Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best browsing experience,…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Trump reacts to Bolton indictment
    • Local news

    Trump Responds to Bolton Indictment: Unveiling Tensions in Political Arena

    Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported on our website. To ensure…
    • Internewscast
    • October 16, 2025
    230-million-year-old dinosaur fossil found in Argentina
    • Local news

    Ancient Dinosaur Fossil Unearthed in Argentina Dates Back 230 Million Years

    Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best browsing experience,…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    $8.2 million approved for USCA's School of Science and Engineering
    • Local news

    USCA’s School of Science and Engineering Secures $8.2 Million Funding Approval

    AIKEN, S.C. – In a significant move to bolster the University of…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    U of I Vet Med hosting one-day survey for canine diabetes research project
    • Local news

    Join the Fight Against Canine Diabetes: U of I Vet Med’s Exclusive One-Day Research Event

    The University of Illinois’ College of Veterinary Medicine is embarking on a…
    • Internewscast
    • October 16, 2025
    Palm Bay council censures defiant councilman over controversial posts
    • Local news

    Palm Bay Council Reprimands Defiant Councilman for Controversial Social Media Posts

    In a heated meeting on Thursday evening, the Palm Bay City Council…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Madagascar's coup leader is set to be sworn in as president after military takeover
    • Local news

    Madagascar’s Coup Leader Assumes Presidency Amid Controversial Military Takeover

    ANTANANARIVO – In a swift and decisive move, a military colonel who…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Trump plans to leave his mark on Washington by building a Paris-like arch near the Lincoln Memorial
    • Local news

    Trump Intends to Erect Parisian-Style Arch Near Lincoln Memorial to Leave Lasting Impact on Washington

    WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is proposing an ambitious project to construct…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    12-Year-Old Girl’s Remains in Bin Behind Abandoned House; Had Been Dead for a Year
    • Crime

    Tragic Custody Battle Unveiled: Court Documents Expose Disputes Over 12-Year-Old Girl Found Dead Behind Abandoned House

    Recent court documents have shed light on a tumultuous family custody battle…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Why John Bolton case may be more serious than Comey, James
    • Crime

    Is the John Bolton Case a Bigger Deal Than James Comey’s? Here’s Why It Matters

    Left: New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Iran’s execution rate tops 1,000 this year as death row inmates launch hunger strike
    • US

    Iran Surpasses 1,000 Executions in 2023 Amid Hunger Strike by Death Row Inmates

    The United Nations has characterized Iran’s current rate of capital punishment as…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Trump meets with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at White House
    • Local news

    Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Hold Talks at the White House

    Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best browsing experience,…
    • Internewscast
    • October 17, 2025
    Internewscast Journal
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Guest Post
    • Support Our Cause
    Copyright 2023. All Right Reserverd.