Latest Target Of DeSantis’ Intimidation Project: TV Stations That Air Amendment 4 Ads

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) administration is reportedly trying to intimidate television stations into taking down advertisements put out by supporters of Amendment 4 — a proposal on the ballot in Florida this fall that seeks to codify abortion access into the Sunshine State constitution, where abortion is banned after six weeks.

On Oct. 3, DeSantis’ Department of Health sent a letter to at least one local NBC affiliate, WFLA-TV, suggesting they could face criminal charges for airing ads that encourage voters to support Amendment 4.

The letter, first reported by Florida investigative journalist Jason Garcia, claims that such ads violate Florida’s “sanitary nuisance” law and suggests that stations may be committing a misdemeanor offense by airing them.

Florida Health Department General Counsel John Wilson argued that the advertisement in question, which was sponsored by supporters of the amendment, is disseminating information that is “categorically false” and “dangerous” by saying Florida’s six-week abortion ban threatens the life and well being of pregnant women, according to the letter.

“The advertisement is not only false; it is dangerous,” Wilson writes. “Women faced with pregnancy complications posing a serious risk of death or substantial or irreversible physical impairment may and should seek medical treatment in Florida.”

Despite what DeSantis’ Health Department claims, the six-week ban implemented in Florida is intentionally vague about protected exceptions, has been dangerous to the well-being of women and has criminalized certain types of medical care in the state, according to a recent report from Physicians For Human Rights. 

Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group sponsoring Amendment 4, responded to the Health Department’s letter with one of their own, addressed to the local news station.

“The Department cannot criminalize media outlets running political advertisements with which it disagrees,” they wrote. “Such advertisements are not a ‘sanitary nuisance.’ They do not expose the stations running the advertisements to criminal sanction. Speech criticizing the government in the context of a political campaign is the lifeblood of democracy and lies at the very heart of the First Amendment’s protections. The Department’s letter is a flagrant abuse of power and must be rejected.”

The DeSantis administration’s letter isn’t the first or the only effort from the Republican governor to discourage or intimidate supporters of the abortion-rights amendment.

DeSantis and his allies have already been spending taxpayer dollars to fight Amendment 4. The DeSantis administration created a state-run website attacking the amendment and they have been running ads promoting the current, highly restrictive law.

Last month, The Tampa Bay Times and other local news outlets reported that police were showing up at the homes of Florida residents who signed a petition to help get Amendment 4 on the ballot. Individuals reported instances of being questioned by police about whether they actually signed the petition.

Some residents said the plain clothes police officers asked for verification that they signed the petition, claiming they were investigating potential signature fraud. Some said the police even asked for their identification, driver’s licenses or to confirm signatures.

Multiple county officials also confirmed to the Miami Herald last month that they’d been contacted by the Florida Department of State, requesting copies of signatures as well.


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