Ron DeSantis’s administration has issued what appears to be a threat of legal action against a local TV station for broadcasting an abortion rights campaign advertisement.
The ad features Caroline, a woman who faced a critical decision regarding her pregnancy while undergoing cancer treatment following a brain tumor diagnosis in 2022. In light of Florida’s current six-week abortion ban, her story highlights the dire implications of the law.
“The doctors knew that if I did not end my pregnancy, I would lose my baby, I would lose my life, and my daughter would lose her mom,” Caroline states in the ad. “Florida has now banned abortion… even in cases like mine. Amendment 4 is gonna protect women like me.”
A letter dated October 3 from the Florida Department of Health, directed to WFLA TV’s vice president Mark Higgins, was shared on social media by journalist Jason Garcia, who accused the administration of attempting to intimidate the station.
This latest action follows accusations that the DeSantis administration has used its election police to target citizens who signed a petition to place Amendment 4 on the ballot this November.
If passed, Amendment 4 would secure the right to abortion care in Florida’s constitution, effectively countering the existing six-week ban. The Department of Health contends that the advertisement violates section 386.01 of Florida law, which permits the state to eliminate any “nuisance” that threatens public health.
“The advertisement is not only false; it is dangerous,” the letter states. The Health Department warned that if the ad is not retracted within 24 hours, legal proceedings would ensue to obtain an injunction.
Critics have labeled the state’s actions as an example of “fascism” aimed at silencing political opposition. Leon County Democrats called it “outrageous bullying using the government,” while Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, emphasized the lack of freedom from government interference in the state.
“The DeSantis regime is threatening TV stations with prosecution for running ads supporting abortion rights and Amendment 4,” remarked former state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who is now running for the state Senate. “Florida is not a free state.”
Amendment 4 aims to codify the right to an abortion prior to fetal viability and to prevent any laws that restrict access during that timeframe. It would also ensure that medical decisions regarding abortions after viability prioritize the health of the patient.
Florida’s six-week abortion ban, implemented in May following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, is among the most stringent in the nation. Although the law allows exceptions for life-threatening conditions, medical providers have often hesitated to act on such provision.
