A political committee supporting the effort to enact a constitutional right to abortion in Florida has sued a state health care organization, claiming the latter is funding a “misinformation” campaign against the ballot issue scheduled for November with taxpayer money.
Opponents claim that the state-sponsored propaganda campaign is just another “dirty trick” used by Republican politicians in Florida to undermine a citizen-led effort to safeguard abortion rights in the third-largest state in the union. More than a million Floridians submitted petitions to place Amendment 4 on the ballot, exceeding the state’s requirement of more than 891,500 signatures.
The group that supports Amendment 4, Floridians Protecting Freedom, Inc., filed the complaint on Thursday in a Leon County circuit court through the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration produced radio, television, and website advertisements to provide Floridians with “the truth” about the proposed constitutional amendment. These are the targets of the case. Amendment 4 would legalize abortions up until the point at which the patient’s healthcare professional determines the fetus is viable, provided it is passed by at least 60% of Florida voters.
This month, a website was developed with the slogans “Florida is Protecting Life” and “Don’t let the fearmongers lie to you,” claiming that “Amendment 4 threatens women’s safety” and supporting the state of Florida’s current abortion laws, which prohibit most abortions after six weeks.
The pro-choice lawyers filed a lawsuit requesting that the court immediately put an end to the campaign’s messaging push. They contend that state officials are using taxpayer funds illegally for political campaign purposes, which violates Florida voters’ rights.
“Florida’s government has crossed a dangerous line by using public resources to mislead voters and manipulate their choices in the upcoming election,” ACLU of Florida attorney Michelle Morton stated. “This lawsuit aims to stop these unconstitutional efforts and restore integrity to our electoral process.”
An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by AHCA representatives. Before the complaint was filed, AHCA Secretary Jason Weida highlighted the organization’s new website in a post on the social media site X.
“To combat the lies and disinformation surrounding Florida’s abortion laws, @AHCA_FL has launched an improved transparency page,” as per Weida’s post. “To see more please visit our website.”
The agency’s message campaign and the state’s inquiry into the tens of thousands of petition signatures needed to get Amendment 4 on the ballot have been backed by Republican governor Ron DeSantis. Police have begun questioning some of the petition signers at their residences as part of that investigation.
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Before the lawsuit was filed, DeSantis told reporters that the AHCA page provides Floridians with “factual information” about the amendment and is not political in nature.
“Everything that is put out is factual. It is not electioneering,” DeSantis stated at a news conference, adding, “I am glad they are doing it.”
