DeSantis administration threatens local TV station for airing abortion rights campaign ads

[In It to Win It]

DeSantis administration threatens local TV station for airing abortion rights campaign ads

Ron DeSantis’s administration has appeared to threaten a local TV station with legal action for airing an abortion rights campaign ad.

The ad in question is the same one that aired in Florida during the vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance. It features a woman named Caroline who needed to have an abortion and cancer treatments after a brain tumor diagnosis in 2022.

Such a difficult situation would have been complicated by Florida’s six-week abortion ban today.

“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,” the woman says. “Florida has now banned abortion … even in cases like mine. Amendment 4 is gonna protect women like me.”

The letter — dated October 3 and sent by the Florida Department of Health to WFLA TV’s vice president Mark Higgins — was shared on social media by journalist Jason Garcia, who accused the administration of “trying to intimidate” the TV station.

[Ilsa]

1. Content of the letter:

The department claims the ad is illegal under section 386.01 of Florida law that allows the state to remove any "nuisance" that "threatens or impairs" people’s health.

The letter called the ad "false" and "dangerous."

The Health Department threatened an injunction if the ad wasn't removed in 24 hours.

[rubbersole]

2. Was it written by Florida's wizard Surgeon General?

He'll make it illegal to wear a mask in the next pandemic. Causes 'wokeness'.

[Frasier Balzov]

3. Classic violation of First Amendment protection.

Good grief, if right wing talk radio can't be shut down there's no way they can shut down a political advertisement which merely displeases Desantis.

And what a blatant abuse of the language contained in the statute they are trying to invoke.

[70sEraVet]

4. Let us know, Floridians, when you've had enough 'Freedom'.

(Yes, I know - there are Floridians who not only vote for Democrats, but who have been working hard to elect Democrats to office. I live in TN, where its nearly impossible for a Democrat to get elected)

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. The Weekend on DeathSantis' attack on this ad

Link to tweet