DeSantis Mobilizes Government Assets to Combat Florida Abortion Amendment
The Florida state health care regulator has opposed it, while DeSantis maintains that it serves to inform the public.
TroibNews 
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Governor Ron DeSantis, backed by fellow state GOP leaders, has utilized state resources to combat an upcoming ballot measure that could repeal Florida's restrictive six-week abortion law.
Accusations of governmental overreach accompany Republican attempts to maintain the abortion restriction—actions including a state-managed website that opposes the proposal, and election officials who've scrutinized signatories supporting the ballot's inclusion. These initiatives have propelled the matter into an extensive legal dispute with advocates of the proposal, now known as Amendment 4.
Amendment supporters argue that these actions represent a broader attempt by GOP members to retain the controversial law, which Governor DeSantis enacted amid his presidential campaign preparations. They allege illegal conduct by the state government, while DeSantis and his supporters assert they are simply educating citizens and safeguarding Floridians from potential risks.
“What we are witnessing is a disturbing pattern of government interference — not only in women's healthcare but also in the very democratic process itself,” ACLU of Florida spokesperson Keisha Mulfort said. She described the overreach as alarming and harmful to women throughout the state.
The dispute is scheduled for judicial review, pitting the ACLU of Florida and the Southern Legal Counsel against the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The legal complaint seeks to dismantle a state website they claim misleadingly portrays health dangers associated with Amendment 4's potential passage.
If enacted, Amendment 4 would end the statewide prohibition on abortions post-six weeks of pregnancy, restoring more permissive standards akin to those under Roe v. Wade, overturned two years ago by the Supreme Court.
DeSantis views the amendment as a threat to numerous existing abortion regulations, decrying its broad and vague language that could shift significant power to judicial rather than legislative structures.
“Why would you want to take power away from the people of the state to determine their own destiny and transfer it to members of the judiciary?” DeSantis questioned during a radio appearance on a Fort Myers show hosted by Republican state Rep. Spencer Roach, emphasizing the inappropriateness of such a shift.
While DeSantis did not provide comments for this story, Amendment 4 advocates have labeled his criticisms as mere distractions meant to sway voters.
“If you don’t want to talk about an abortion ban that has no real exceptions, that is criminally harming women, you talk about distractions,” stated Lauren Brenzel, the campaign director for the amendment.
In defense of the questioned AHCA website, DeSantis clarified that the agency commonly issues public announcements regarding legislative changes. Meanwhile, a special state police unit initiated by DeSantis two years ago has been probing allegations of fraud among the over 891,000 signatures collected to qualify the amendment for ballot inclusion. Reports suggest that law enforcement has visited voters' homes to verify the authenticity of their signatures.
Controversially, the state Democratic Party has called for a criminal review of the AHCA website, and another legal challenge claims that state officials, including DeSantis, are improperly using their positions to contest Amendment 4.
The ongoing legal confrontations follow a failed attempt by State Attorney General Ashley Moody to prevent the inclusion of the initiative on the ballot, a decision ultimately overruled by a Supreme Court largely appointed by DeSantis. The contention extends to disputes concerning financial disclosures regarding the amendment, resulting in significant changes influenced by anti-abortion entities.
Despite the prevailing tensions, the amendment will appear alongside GOP presidential nominee and registered Florida voter Donald Trump on the ballot. Trump has voiced his opposition to the six-week ban, highlighting a contrast in approach from DeSantis.
Nevertheless, Trump refrained from a firm stance on a national abortion prohibition during a recent debate, while DeSantis expressed frustration over the insufficient public opposition from Republicans against the amendment.
“You have this amendment, which is the one that would make Florida one of the most radical abortion jurisdictions in the world, and yet you have people that won't even say that they're going to vote no on it,” lamented DeSantis, urging more proactive efforts to defeat the measure. "They won't even say that,” he added.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
Accusations of governmental overreach accompany Republican attempts to maintain the abortion restriction—actions including a state-managed website that opposes the proposal, and election officials who've scrutinized signatories supporting the ballot's inclusion. These initiatives have propelled the matter into an extensive legal dispute with advocates of the proposal, now known as Amendment 4.
Amendment supporters argue that these actions represent a broader attempt by GOP members to retain the controversial law, which Governor DeSantis enacted amid his presidential campaign preparations. They allege illegal conduct by the state government, while DeSantis and his supporters assert they are simply educating citizens and safeguarding Floridians from potential risks.
“What we are witnessing is a disturbing pattern of government interference — not only in women's healthcare but also in the very democratic process itself,” ACLU of Florida spokesperson Keisha Mulfort said. She described the overreach as alarming and harmful to women throughout the state.
The dispute is scheduled for judicial review, pitting the ACLU of Florida and the Southern Legal Counsel against the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The legal complaint seeks to dismantle a state website they claim misleadingly portrays health dangers associated with Amendment 4's potential passage.
If enacted, Amendment 4 would end the statewide prohibition on abortions post-six weeks of pregnancy, restoring more permissive standards akin to those under Roe v. Wade, overturned two years ago by the Supreme Court.
DeSantis views the amendment as a threat to numerous existing abortion regulations, decrying its broad and vague language that could shift significant power to judicial rather than legislative structures.
“Why would you want to take power away from the people of the state to determine their own destiny and transfer it to members of the judiciary?” DeSantis questioned during a radio appearance on a Fort Myers show hosted by Republican state Rep. Spencer Roach, emphasizing the inappropriateness of such a shift.
While DeSantis did not provide comments for this story, Amendment 4 advocates have labeled his criticisms as mere distractions meant to sway voters.
“If you don’t want to talk about an abortion ban that has no real exceptions, that is criminally harming women, you talk about distractions,” stated Lauren Brenzel, the campaign director for the amendment.
In defense of the questioned AHCA website, DeSantis clarified that the agency commonly issues public announcements regarding legislative changes. Meanwhile, a special state police unit initiated by DeSantis two years ago has been probing allegations of fraud among the over 891,000 signatures collected to qualify the amendment for ballot inclusion. Reports suggest that law enforcement has visited voters' homes to verify the authenticity of their signatures.
Controversially, the state Democratic Party has called for a criminal review of the AHCA website, and another legal challenge claims that state officials, including DeSantis, are improperly using their positions to contest Amendment 4.
The ongoing legal confrontations follow a failed attempt by State Attorney General Ashley Moody to prevent the inclusion of the initiative on the ballot, a decision ultimately overruled by a Supreme Court largely appointed by DeSantis. The contention extends to disputes concerning financial disclosures regarding the amendment, resulting in significant changes influenced by anti-abortion entities.
Despite the prevailing tensions, the amendment will appear alongside GOP presidential nominee and registered Florida voter Donald Trump on the ballot. Trump has voiced his opposition to the six-week ban, highlighting a contrast in approach from DeSantis.
Nevertheless, Trump refrained from a firm stance on a national abortion prohibition during a recent debate, while DeSantis expressed frustration over the insufficient public opposition from Republicans against the amendment.
“You have this amendment, which is the one that would make Florida one of the most radical abortion jurisdictions in the world, and yet you have people that won't even say that they're going to vote no on it,” lamented DeSantis, urging more proactive efforts to defeat the measure. "They won't even say that,” he added.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
