Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently shifted his focus from hurricane updates to fighting an abortion rights amendment in the state. The governor held a campaign-like rally at state expense just two weeks before the election, where he expressed strong opposition to the proposed amendment.
During the event, attended by doctors who opposed the abortion amendment, DeSantis emphasized the significance of being cautious when dealing with constitutional amendments, stating that once something is enshrined in the constitution, it becomes challenging to change.
Prior to the rally, a former top lawyer at the Department of Health resigned after alleging that the governor's office had coerced him into sending a letter to television stations to halt pro-Amendment 4 ads. The lawyer later signed an affidavit detailing the incident, leading to a judge blocking further state action against the ads.
Amendment 4, which requires the approval of 60% of voters to be adopted, aims to override the state law banning abortions in most cases after the first six weeks of pregnancy. The campaign surrounding the amendment has been marked by significant spending on ads, totaling approximately $160 million.
DeSantis' administration has taken multiple steps to oppose the ballot measure, with the governor and other officials actively criticizing it at the rally. The lieutenant governor, Jeanette Nunez, garnered applause when she made a religious reference in connection to the abortion issue.
The event concluded with a prayer by Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, invoking a call for reverence for human life. However, critics of DeSantis condemned the use of government resources for the anti-Amendment 4 rally, accusing the governor of misusing taxpayer funds for political purposes.
The ongoing debate over Amendment 4 underscores the deep divisions and passionate viewpoints surrounding abortion rights in Florida, with both supporters and opponents actively campaigning in the lead-up to the election.
