TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A political committee behind the campaign to pass a constitutional right to abortion in Florida has filed a lawsuit against a state health care agency it alleges is waging a taxpayer-funded “misinformation campaign” against the November ballot.
Critics say the state-backed messaging push is the latest “dirty trick” by Florida Republican officials to thwart a citizen’s initiative to protect abortion in the nation’s third-largest state. Nearly a million Floridians signed petitions to get the measure, known as Amendment 4, on the ballot, surpassing the more than 891,500 signatures the state needed.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida filed the lawsuit in a Leon County court on Thursday on behalf of Floridians Protecting Freedom, Inc., the organization behind Amendment 4.
The lawsuit targets a website, television and radio ads created by Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration to give Floridians “the truth” about a proposed constitutional amendment. If at least 60 percent of Florida voters approve it, Amendment 4 would make abortions legal until the fetus is viable, as determined by the patient’s health care provider.
The website, launched this month, argues that “Amendment 4 threatens women’s safety” and defends Florida’s current law, which bans most abortions after six weeks, under a banner that reads “Florida Protects Life” and “Don’t Let the Fearmongers Lie to You.”
In the legal filing, lawyers for the abortion rights campaign are calling on the court to immediately halt the spread of the message. They argue that this is an unlawful use of taxpayer dollars by state officials for the benefit of a political campaign. According to them, these actions violate the rights of voters in Florida.
“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 said in a statement. “This lawsuit aims to stop these unconstitutional efforts and restore integrity to our election process.”
Representatives of AHCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a post on the social media platform X before the lawsuit was filed, AHCA Secretary Jason Weida praised the agency’s new website.
“To combat the lies and misinformation surrounding Florida’s abortion laws, @AHCA_FL has launched an enhanced transparency page,” Weida’s post reads. “For more information, visit our website.”
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has defended the agency’s message — and a state investigation into tens of thousands of petition signatures used to put Amendment 4 on the ballot. As part of that investigation, police have been visiting the homes of some of the petition signers to question them.
DeSantis told reporters before the lawsuit was filed that the AHCA page is not political but provides Florida residents with “factual information” about the amendment.
“Everything that comes out is factual. It’s not an election campaign,” DeSantis said at a news conference, adding: “I’m glad they’re doing it.”
___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
