State Attorney Monique Worrell of Orange-Osceola County is facing criticism from the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association after opening a criminal inquiry into the Hope Florida charity. In a letter sent Friday to the association, Worrell said the group sought to draft a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis admonishing her for conducting a lawful review within her jurisdiction. She argued that such a move would signal the association’s support for the governor’s attempt to remove an elected state attorney, a step she described as an overreach of political influence over the legal process. The association’s president, Amira Dajani Fox, and executive director, Garett Berman, did not respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month, Worrell announced her investigation into how a $10 million Medicaid settlement was transferred to Hope Florida and subsequently funneled through political committees opposing a 2024 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. A Leon County grand jury had previously labeled the DeSantis administration’s handling of the funds as a “sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,” though the report found insufficient evidence for criminal charges. A subsequent appellate decision ordered the report expunged, and DeSantis publicly celebrated the outcome, calling for prosecution of the leak. Worrell maintains that her office has the authority to examine whether misappropriated funds were spent in Central Florida and whether any crimes were committed, regardless of prior grand jury findings. She noted that investigations in one circuit do not preclude inquiries in another. The association’s board met Thursday to discuss the matter, though Worrell said she was not placed on the agenda. The dispute adds to a longer-running conflict between Worrell and DeSantis, who suspended her in 2023 for alleged neglect of duty, a suspension she characterized as politically motivated. Voters reinstated her in 2024 with 57 percent of the vote, defeating the governor’s appointed successor. In her letter, Worrell warned that the association’s actions could set a precedent threatening the independence of elected state attorneys across Florida, regardless of party affiliation. She concluded that she would not accept any effort to overturn the electorate’s choice a second time.