A Lake Worth attorney is asking for action by the state’s highest court, complaining of what he calls the DeSantis administration’s “unlawful electioneering.”
Florida elections 2024: 6 amendments on the ballot for Nov. 5
Six constitutional amendments, including recreational marijuana and abortion access, will be on Florida ballots for the Nov. 5, 2024 general election.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — A Lake Worth attorney is accusing Florida officials of abusing their offices in opposing the state’s abortion rights ballot measure – and is asking the Florida Supreme Court to intervene.
The state’s “actions aim to interfere with the people’s right to decide whether or not to approve a citizen-initiated proposal to amend their Constitution, free from undue government interference,” wrote attorney Adam Richardson in a Tuesday filing. “Every day (that) Respondents can act unlawfully is another day they abuse state resources and sully the election for Amendment 4. The matter cannot wait.”
The officials named in the filing are Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Jason Weida, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration. Their spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The action comes after a week of controversies related to their actions in opposition to Amendment 4, which would ensure abortion access in Florida if it gets at least 60% of the statewide vote.
Richardson mentions a new webpage published by the Agency for Health Care Administration that bashes the amendment, accusing it of “threatening women’s safety.” The agency paid for a television advertisement that directs Floridians to that webpage.
DeSantis defended the move on Monday, saying AHCA resources were being used to “basically provide people with accurate information, and I think that’s something that’s really important, because quite frankly, a lot of people don’t usually get that in the normal blood stream.”
Also mentioned in Richardson’s filing is how, as first reported by the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, the Governor’s Faith and Community Initiative reached out to religious groups last week to advertise a call with state Attorney General Ashley Moody titled, “Your Legal Rights & Amendment 4’s Ramifications.”
It comes as DeSantis’ team has begun turning to religious groups to help rouse opposition against the amendment.
Joining Moody on that Thursday morning call will be Mat Staver, the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a Christian ministry that has also fought against gay marriage. Moody herself has been an opponent of the amendment since before the Florida Supreme Court OK’d it to appear on the 2024 general election ballot.
“Since the Court approved ballot placement, (state officials) have waged a campaign to interfere with the election,” wrote Richardson, who has publicly criticized DeSantis.
Another controversy, but one not mentioned in the filing: State election officials sent police to the homes of some citizens who signed the petition to put the measure on the ballot to make sure their signatures were legitimate. The Florida Department of State defended that, saying it “uncovered evidence of illegal conduct with fraudulent petitions.”
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Douglas Soule can be reached at DSoule@gannett.com.
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Publish date : 2024-09-10 11:36:00
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