TALLAHASSEE, FL — Ousted Florida Sheriff Scott Israel has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to get his job back weeks after the Florida Senate voted in favor of Israel’s removal from office over his handling of the Valentine’s Day 2018 school mass shooting in Parkland as well as his handling of the 2017 Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport shooting.

“In sum and substance, the suspension and removal proceedings were little more than a sham and mockery of fairness and due process, thereby subverting the will of the voters of Broward County who elected Sheriff Israel to a four-year term expiring in November 2020,” the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit, which was filed Friday, names Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Senate President Bill Galvano as defendants.

“He asks this court to declare that … his removal from office by the Florida Senate on Oct. 23, 2019, following his suspension by the governor on Jan. 11, 2019, contravenes due process of law and is therefore unconstitutional,” according to the 32-page document.

The Florida Senate in October disregarded a recommendation to give Israel his old job back and instead voted 25-15 in favor of the sheriff’s removal.

DeSantis suspended Israel from his position three days after taking office in January, but DeSantis has said he would not seek to remove Israel a second time should the former sheriff win his re-election bid next year. See also 25 Reasons Florida Governor Gave For Suspending Broward Sheriff

Israel’s attorney, Benedict P. Kuehne, called the decision to remove Israel a “partisan political effort to rescue the governor from his own incompetence,” and he insisted that the Florida Senate “changed the rules” to allow a trial by what was described as an ambush.

“The Senate charade was nothing more than a carefully scripted scheme to subvert due process by creating new allegations and presenting false facts to remove this Democrat from sheriff of Broward County as preparations for the 2020 election are underway,” Kuehne said.

The lawsuit also seeks court costs and an order acknowledging that Israel has been denied due process in being removed from office.

The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty; five people died in the airport shooting.

“I committed to all the people of Broward County that I would work hard every day to serve and protect,” Israel said in a statement Saturday. “I am doing exactly that, and intend to show all Broward residents that I am humbled by their trust and confidence in my law enforcement service.”

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