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Judge extends blockade of Admin DeSantis’ anti-abortion pressure campaign as state GOPers turn to government

Umito October 31, 2024

A federal judge extended the temporary restraining order he issued earlier this month, blocking the head of Florida’s health department from issuing new threats against local TV stations that air commercials in favors Amendment 4, the proposition on Florida’s ballot next week that would codify the right to abortion in the state constitution.

This means that state Surgeon General and head of the Florida Department of Health Joseph Ladapo will not be able to take further action to intimidate TV stations that are airing the ad until Election Day . U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued the ruling during a hearing Tuesday, where he heard arguments from attorneys for state officials and Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group behind the measure vote on abortion. Walker said he will make a decision whether to issue a preliminary injunction — which is what the FPF is seeking — by Nov. 12, when the extended restraining order expires, or sooner.

FPF campaign manager Lauren Brenzel sent TPM a statement in response to Walker’s latest decision to side with the group:

“While this case is not over, this second ruling is once again a crucial victory for every Floridian who believes in democracy and the sanctity of the First Amendment. Once again, the court confirmed what we have known all along: the government cannot silence the truth about Florida’s extreme abortion ban. This is a deadly ban that puts women’s lives at risk. This decision continues to remind us that Floridians will not back down from government intimidation.

As TPM reportedWalker initially issued a temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit brought by the FPF seeking to end just one level of the DeSantis administration’s taxpayer-funded intimidation campaign against Amendment 4. In addition to cease-and-desist letters to television stations, suggesting that Broadcasters could face criminal charges for airing these ads, the DeSantis administration used taxpayers. state dollars and resources to fight the measure that, if passed, would eliminate the state’s six-week abortion ban.

The DeSantis administration also used state resources to create a state-run website attacking the amendment and even law enforcement deployed to question supporters of the ballot measure. In September, several Florida newspapers reported that plainclothes police officers were showing up at the homes of Florida residents who had signed the petition to help get Amendment 4 on the ballot, questioning them about their signatures and claiming to be investigating. on fraud. Additionally, earlier this month, the administration released a report claiming that the FPF had committed “widespread petition fraud” in its effort to collect signatures to get the measure on the ballot voting.

The governor’s office announced a fine against FPF in recent weeks and even tried to get the state Legislature to investigate the group. Even former Florida Department of Health General Counsel John Wilson – who was initially listed as a defendant in the FPF lawsuit, alongside Ladapo – stated in an affidavit that he had resigned about how the DeSantis administration asked him to handle drafting and sending cease-and-desist letters to TV stations.

The shameless use of state resources to secure a policy amendment has caused even some of the state’s most influential Republicans to distance themselves from DeSantis’ plan for police intimidation. Here is Senator Joe Gruters, former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, speaking to Politico in pieces this week:

“Regardless of where you stand on an issue, we’re still in a democracy, and in a democracy we don’t spend taxpayer dollars before we address a political issue,” he said. “Taxpayer dollars are meant to be spent on our police, schools, roads and other public programs that make our state great, not on political agendas. »