This story was originally posted on: 5:45 p.m., Tuesday, April 04, 2017.

Gov. Rick Scott is now considering suspending Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala from office over her stance not to pursue the death penalty in any cases.

“I’m reviewing my options," Scott said Tuesday.

Just a day earlier, Scott reassigned 21 first-degree murder cases that were under Ayala's jurisdiction to State Attorney Brad King.

With that action as reasoning, Republican state lawmakers from Central Florida called a news conference Tuesday morning to explain why want Scott to suspended Ayala.

“A lot of folks are saying she’s being targeted because she’s black. But no, she’s being targeted because she has said she will not handle cases moving forward. In my opinion, that’s neglect of duty," said Rep. Bob Cortes (R-Altamonte Springs).

Attorney Wade Vose, who specializes in government law, thinks Scott has the constitutional right under Article 4, Section 7 of the Florida Constitution to suspend Ayala, who was elected by Florida voters in November.

“I believe it is legal," Vose said. "Under that provision of the Florida Constitution, the governor is given substantial authority to determine when an officer of the people has committed neglect of duty and if he makes that determination.

"I think it would be defensible," Vose said.

Ayala announced last month that she would not seek the death penalty in any of her cases while she is in office. That sparked outrage from law enforcement and lawmakers, and Scott removed Ayala from prosecuting the Markeith Loyd case.

There is no law against a state attorney not seeking the death penalty.

Lawmakers say Ayala has substituted her personal judgment for longstanding prosecutorial rules.

Scott said any decision he makes regarding Ayala will be made in the best interest of justice for victims.

“... Your job is to prosecute to the full extent of the law. That’s what we all expect that our state attorneys would be doing, and that’s my expectation for her," Scott said.