Former Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, who was suspended by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his handling of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, wants his jobs back.
Late last month, the state's highest court ruled the governor was within his rights to remove Israel. But, the Florida Senate is ultimately responsible for deciding if the removal should be permanent.
As part of his fight to be reinstated, Israel on Friday filed a defense presentation with the Senate Special Master. The presentation lays out why he believes he diligently executed his duties and responsibilities.
"Sheriff Israel looks forward to his hearing before the Senate Special Master and is confident the Senate will use facts and not political posturing when deciding to revoke the Governor’s suspension order," Attorney Benedict P. Kuehne wrote in an email.
As proof of Israel's effectiveness, Kuehne cited the Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s certification by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
DeSantis' office previously issued a statement saying, "Sheriff Israel has repeatedly failed and has demonstrated a pattern of poor leadership. He failed to protect Floridians and visitors during the tragic Fort Lauderdale International Airport shooting in 2017. He failed in his duties to keep our families and children safe during the devastating shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018. These incidents demonstrate Sheriff's Israel's repeated incompetence and neglect of duty."
Israel said he looks forward to his hearing in front of the Senate Special Master.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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