In Texas, the Attorney General’s office has a nasty habit of using the courts to interfere with citizens groups, churches, and others working for the common good. Now, Florida is taking the litigious path.
The state’s Surgeon General’s office wants to bring criminal charges against any broadcasters airing an advertisement it doesn’t like. Right now, the far-right administration in Tallahassee doesn’t like ads from Floridians Protecting Freedom and their “Yes on 4 Campaign,” a ballot measure that seeks to overturn Florida’s six-week abortion ban.
“The state of Florida’s crusade against Amendment 4 is unconstitutional government interference – full stop,” said Lauren Brenzel, Yes on 4 Campaign Director. “The State cannot coerce television stations into removing political speech from the airwaves in an attempt to keep their abortion ban in place.”
According to CNN, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker of the Northern District of Florida granted a temporary restraining order against Florida’s surgeon general last week.
“The government cannot excuse its indirect censorship of political speech simply by declaring the disfavored speech is ‘false,’” the judge said in a written opinion. He added, “To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid.”
The ballot measure is one of nine similar measures across the country, according to The New York Post. It would require the approval of 60% of voters to be adopted and would override the state law that bans abortion in most cases after the first six weeks of pregnancy.
Across the nation, 24 states—including Texas, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—do not provide for statewide citizen-initiated ballot measures.
