Florida
DeSantis leans on the power of state government to defeat abortion on the ballot
By Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenbogen
Miami Herald
After signing into law a strict abortion ban, Gov. Ron DeSantis is escalating his campaign against a November ballot question that would broaden access to the procedure — throwing the weight of his political power and state government behind a campaign to defeat Amendment 4.
Related: DeSantis Spars With Abortion Rights Backers Over Florida Ballot Measure
Related: Florida high court considers claim DeSantis ‘misusing’ office to fight Amendment 4
Florida abortion amendment sponsor sues state, accuses officials of ‘misleading’ campaign
By Douglas Soule, Tallahassee Democrat
The group behind Florida’s abortion rights ballot measure is suing a state agency under Gov. Ron DeSantis, asking a court to intervene in what it calls the “dissemination of false, inflammatory, and misleading information.”
Related: Group behind abortion amendment sues over state’s website, calling it ‘misinformation campaign’
FL Supreme Court expedites case alleging DeSantis interference on abortion-rights amendment
By Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
The Florida Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to fast-track a lawsuit filed by a South Florida attorney alleging that Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials are interfering with the campaign for the abortion-rights amendment.
Related: At Capitol Hill hearing, Cord Byrd defends probe of potential signature petition fraud
Florida Democrats wants DOJ to investigate ‘voter intimidation’ on Amendment 4
By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix
Seven members of Florida’s Democratic Congressional delegation have written a letter asking U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the DeSantis administration’s “brazen attempts at voter intimidation and election interference on Amendment 4.”
Related: Petition asks FL Supreme Court to stop DeSantis from ‘interfering’ with abortion amendment
DeSantis administration cites rejected signatures to justify abortion amendment probe
By Kathryn Varn, Axios
Fraudulent petition signatures cited by the DeSantis administration as justification for its probe of Florida’s abortion rights referendum had already been rejected, according to a local elections supervisor.
Meet the Coalition Fighting to Protect Abortion in Florida
By Ramenda Cyrus, The American Prospect
This November, Florida voters will be presented with a ballot initiative called the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion,” or Amendment 4, which would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution.
Florida Republicans snuck $1 million for marketing to state agency now funding anti-abortion ads
By Jason Garcia, Seeking Rents
A few months before Florida’s public healthcare agency launched an ad campaign to stop orida voters from overturning the state’s near-total abortion ban, state lawmakers in Tallahassee quietly gave the agency $1 million in taxpayer money to spend on “marketing.”
DeSantis says state investigating abortion ‘petitions on behalf of dead people’
By Lawrence Mower and Romy Ellenbogen, Tampa Bay Times
Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the use of his election police to question people who signed petitions for an amendment that would overturn the state’s six-week abortion ban, saying it’s part of an investigation that has already uncovered fraud.
Related: DeSantis’ election police questioned people who signed abortion petitions
Florida health agency campaigns against abortion-rights ballot measure
By Arek Sarkissian, Politico
A Florida health care regulatory agency has launched a website to attack a ballot initiative asking voters to expand abortion access in November, as Republicans in the state try to rally opposition against it.
Ron DeSantis crosses the line in war against abortion rights
By Nate Monroe, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis isn’t merely campaigning against a popular abortion-rights amendment set to appear on the November ballot: He is turning the organs of state government against it, making a mockery of the notion, enshrined in law, that there should be a firewall between governing and electoral politics.
‘Women should have the right to choose’: Florida men make calls to turn out the vote for abortion rights in November
By McKenna Schueler, Orlando Weekly
Two years ago, the Florida Governor’s Office made preparations for a flashy bill signing for Florida’s House Bill 5, which banned most abortions past 15 weeks of pregnancy.
In presidential debate, Donald Trump couldn’t escape Florida abortion dilemma
By Nate Monroe, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
Florida has lurked behind Donald J. Trump every day of his presidential campaign, his third in this long decade of his national relevance and his first as an official Florida resident.
Abortion rights campaign goes on the offensive with multimillion-dollar TV ad campaign
By Gabrielle Russon, Florida Politics
Two months from the November election, the abortion rights ballot initiative campaign is launching a multimillion-dollar statewide ad blitz telling voters that Florida’s current six-week abortion ban is too extreme.
DeSantis demands Republicans publicly oppose amendment to add abortion rights to Florida Constitution
By Anthony Man, South Florida Sun Sentinel
Gov. Ron DeSantis is demanding that elected Florida Republicans join him in opposition to the proposed amendment that would enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution. And he wants some of their campaign money to help fund the effort to defeat Amendment 4.
Scientologist megadonor gives $1 million to DeSantis’ PAC fighting Florida abortion and pot amendments
By Colin Wolf, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
A political committee linked to Gov. Ron DeSantis raised more than $1.11 million from Aug. 24-30, and the bulk of it came from one local Scientologist megadonor.
Sarasota County Commission passes resolution against Amendment 4; Smith dissents
By Christian Casale, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Sarasota County Commission voted 4-1 on Tuesday to pass a resolution opposing the constitutional Amendment 4 measure on November’s ballot, which would dramatically ease Florida’s strict ban on abortions.
Poll: The ‘Free State of Florida’ may not be free enough for voters this year
By Peter Schorsch, Florida Politics
As Gov. Ron DeSantis and allied conservatives continue to dub the Sunshine State the “Free State of Florida,” a large majority of Floridians seem to believe it’s not free enough.
DeSantis looks to Florida faith community to mobilize against abortion rights measure
By Douglas Soule, USA Today Network-Florida
In a continuing effort to tank Florida’s abortion rights ballot measure, Gov. Ron DeSantis is turning to religious groups to help rouse opposition.
Ron DeSantis sees ‘1 in a million’ chance to reverse abortion rights amendment if it passes
By A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics
Florida’s Governor thinks that if voters approve an amendment limiting governmental restrictions on abortion, it will be in the constitution permanently.
Related: Ron DeSantis says Florida could become a destination for abortions if Amendment 4 passes
As abortion debate rages, DeSantis Administration launches ‘transparency’ page some say oversteps state law
By Christine Jordan Sexton, Florida Politics
One of Florida’s top healthcare regulators this week took to social media to promote an abortion transparency webpage that he says combats “the lies and disinformation surrounding Florida’s abortion laws” and comes amid an escalating political campaign for an abortion initiative voters will decide on in November.
Related: DeSantis goes all-in against Florida’s abortion rights amendment
How Alachua County voters view the abortion amendment on November’s ballot
By Morgan Vanderlaan, Independent Florida Alligator
On May 1, Florida enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the country: the Heartbeat Protection Act.
Florida abortion restrictions are driving some college students to activism
By Stephanie Colombini, WUSF Tampa
Alexis Hobbs donned a bright pink t-shirt and stood behind an equally pink table one recent morning at an outdoor fair for student groups on the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus.
US abortion rates dipped after Florida’s 6-week ban took effect, report shows
By Deidre McPhillips
CNN
A six-week abortion ban in Florida led to a sharp drop in the number of abortions provided in the state and drove down national trends too, a new report shows.
Related report: Florida’s Six-Week Ban Led to Substantial Drop in Clinician-Provided Abortions
Men must stand with Kamala Harris to reclaim reproductive rights
By Aaron Bos-Lun, Pensacola News Journal
In the fight for reproductive freedom, and so much that impacts our daily lives, this election is crucial.
‘Shameful Lies’: Rick Scott Tells Students ‘Demented’ Claim About Abortion
By David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement
U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is under fire over video of him baselessly telling students women and doctors would “crush” the “skull” of babies just minutes before they are born, if abortion were legal, apparently at nine months, or starve them to death immediately after.
Fraud prevention or dirty tricks? Florida abortion amendment might be under attack again
Editorial, Miami Herald
With weeks before Florida voters start casting mail and early ballots in the fall elections, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has pulled an unprecedented move that appears intent to undermine a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights.
National
Post-Roe health provider survey finds abortion bans create bad outcomes and distress
Abortion Policy
By Sofia Resnick, States Newsroom
In the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court started allowing states — what has become almost half of the country — to ban all or most abortions, doctors continue to report that these laws have detrimentally changed their jobs and the quality of care they can provide pregnant patients.
U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections
By Jennifer Shutt, Florida Phoenix
U.S. Senate Democrats’ attempts to bolster reproductive rights failed again Thursday when Republicans blocked a bill guaranteeing access to in vitro fertilization from moving forward.
Millions of US women don’t have access to maternity care, report warns
By Anna Betts, The Guardian
More than a third of US counties do not have a single medical birthing facility or the services of an obstetric clinician, causing health advocates to warn about the dangers of “maternity care deserts”, a new report says.
Democrats introduce resolution stating U.S. House support for emergency abortion care
By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom
U.S. House Democrats introduced a resolution Thursday that would clarify when health care providers can use abortion as emergency medical care amid a patchwork of state laws that has led to dozens of stories of women being turned away from emergency departments when experiencing complications or miscarriages.
Advocacy groups urge Schumer to hold vote on repealing Comstock abortion law
By Zach Schonfeld, The Hill
A coalition of advocacy organizations sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) this week urging him to hold a vote on a proposal aimed at guarding against a future Trump administration from reviving a long-dormant law to effectively ban abortion.
Missouri Supreme Court rules amendment legalizing abortion will remain on ballot
By Anna Spoerre, States Newsroom
Missourians will have the opportunity to vote to enshrine abortion in the state constitution this November, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Letters to the editor
‘Pro-life’ only up until birth isn’t really pro life
By David Burg, Tampa, Tampa Bay Times
Excerpt: The issue I have with the right-wing, anti-abortion crowd is that they are pro-life until the time of birth, then the mother and child are on their own. Too bad if the children are born into poverty, are mentally challenged, are part of a minority group, or have any other obstacles that prevent them from succeeding in life. They are on their own. And, health insurance? Forget about it if you are poor and live in Florida. If you are unable to provide support to these children if and when the mother is unable to provide it, you are anti-abortion, not pro-life.
Vote Yes on Amendment 4
By Kathleen Finderson, Fort Myers, Fort Myers News-Press
The fact that Florida state agencies and local governments are producing “official” responses to a proposed state constitutional amendment (Amendment 4) underscores the reason that so many Floridians have petitioned for this amendment…I will especially not agree that the government has any right to supersede a person’s personal medical decisions. I will vote Yes on Amendment 4, and I encourage you to do the same.
Outside their role
By JoAnn Stehr, Sanibel, Fort Myers News-Press
I believe that the Lee County Board of Commissioners providing guidance to voters how to vote regarding Amendment 4 is truly outside the scope of their government role….I personally believe that decisions regarding reproductive heath should be made by women and their physicians — not government.
Vote yes on Amendment Four
By Joanne Huskey, Naples, Naples Daily News
No American likes the idea of government officials making decisions about our health care. Health care is a personal issue and should be determined in private consultation with our families and our doctors…On November 5th we can reverse the six-week ban on abortion and restore women’s right to choose their own health care in Florida, as was the law for 50 years under Roe v. Wade. Vote YES on Amendment Four if you care about our freedom.
Stand up to intimidation by DeSantis police
By Nancy Hughes, Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has gone from political interference to political intimidation of voters…Don’t be intimidated. Don’t let politicians spin their desperate lies. Vote to give patients the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions without the interference of politicians. Vote for Amendment 4.
Gov. DeSantis is wasting taxpayer money again
By Shelley Manes, St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay Times
Excerpt: I am infuriated that Gov. Ron DeSantis is wasting more state resources looking for fraud in this effort, and forcing the groups that support Amendment 4 to marshal our resources to fight back. It is such an obvious waste of precious time and money and will succeed only in muddying the water with false allegations. It’s another scheme in the string of wasteful, corruptly motivated acts on the part of DeSantis, who surely took a lot of notes from the tactics of Donald Trump — delay, create doubt and fear, muddy the waters, discourage voters. It sickens me.