A federal judge has ordered the Florida Department of Health to stop threatening TV stations with criminal prosecution for airing ads in favor of an abortion amendment. Judge Mark Walker’s ruling targets what he described as blatant censorship by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.
🗳️ Why It Matters: This ruling is critical for free speech and political campaigning in Florida. It’s a direct confrontation with DeSantis’ administration over the six-week abortion ban, which has sparked heated debate and now legal intervention.
⚖️ What’s Happening: Walker granted a temporary restraining order after the DeSantis administration threatened stations airing ads supporting Amendment 4, which could overturn the state’s restrictive abortion law.
• The ad in question features a woman who claims Florida’s law would have blocked her from getting an abortion while she was battling brain cancer.
• The state argues that these ads are false, claiming they harm public health.
🧐 Between the Lines: Walker didn’t hold back, pointing out that Florida’s effort to censor political speech crosses a constitutional line. “To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid,” he wrote.
