What to Know
- Satz started as a state prosecutor in Broward shortly after graduating from law school at the University of Miami.
After over four decades as the top prosecutor in Broward County, longtime state attorney Mike Satz announced that he will not run for reelection in 2020.
In a press release issued Tuesday morning, the 76-year-old says the decision came for several reasons – with the biggest being Satz personally prosecuting the case of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz when it is scheduled to start in January.
“I feel it is important to announce my decision now so I can continue to focus on the Parkland case and give a qualified candidate enough time to put forth their campaign for office,” the statement read in part.
A native of Philadelphia, Satz started as a state prosecutor in Broward shortly after graduating from law school at the University of Miami. In 1976, he ran for and was elected as the state attorney for the county and has been re-elected 10 times since, with his last win coming in 2016 to oversee an office of over 500 employees, including over 200 prosecutors.
During his time in office, Satz created specialized units to target issues in the county that included human trafficking and abuse against children and the elderly. Satz is also the co-founder and co-chair of the American Cancer Society’s annual “Up the River” cruise, part of the “Jail and Bail” fundraising event held each year in Broward.
