DeSantis Admin Stopped Threatening TV Stations Over Abortion Ads

A Florida district judge issued a preliminary injunction Thursday stopping the state government from threatening legal action against television stations over abortion advertising.

Floridians Protecting Freedom, the pro-abortion collective behind the Amendment 4 Right to Abortion Initiative, which would end Florida's six-week abortion ban by enshrining abortion in the state's constitution, filed its lawsuit against Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and the former general counsel of the Florida a John Wilson of the Florida Department of Health earlier this week.

The language of Amendment 4 states: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict an abortion before it is viable or when necessary to protect the health of the patient, as determined by the patient's health care provider.”

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The lawsuit was fueled after the Florida Department of Health sent letters to television stations airing the pro-abortion ad, in which the department said the ad was “false” and “dangerous.” The department then demanded that the ads be removed within 24 hours or legal action would be taken.

Floridians Protecting Freedom, the pro-abortion collective behind the Amendment 4 Right to Abortion Initiative, which would end Florida's six-week abortion ban by enshrining abortion in the state's constitution, filed its lawsuit against Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, pictured here, and his former Florida Department of Health General Counsel John Wilson earlier this week. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Floridians Protecting Freedom argued that such a move constituted a violation of the collective's First Amendment right to run political advertisements in support of the proposed amendment.

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“While defendant Ladapo refuses to even agree to this simple fact, plaintiff’s political advertising is political speech – speech at the heart of the First Amendment,” District Judge Mark E. Walker wrote in the order.

“The government cannot excuse its indirect censorship of political speech simply by declaring the disapproved speech 'false.'” “The real purpose of the First Amendment is to prevent the public power from regulating the press, the Speech and religion assume a guardianship over public opinion,” Walker continued, citing a U.S. Supreme Court opinion.

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“The fact is that these ads are clearly false and harmful to public health in Florida,” Jae Williams, communications director for the Florida Department of Health, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The media continues to ignore the fact that Florida’s heartbeat protection law always protects a mother’s life and provides exceptions for victims of rape, incest and human trafficking.”

Yes on 4 campaign director Lauren Brenzel called the order a “triumph for every Floridian who believes in democracy and the sanctity of the First Amendment” in a statement released shortly after the order was issued.

The language of Amendment 4 states: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict an abortion before it is viable or when necessary to protect the health of the patient, as determined by the patient's health care provider.” (CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

“The court confirmed what we have always known: the government cannot silence the truth about Florida’s extreme abortion ban. It is a deadly ban that endangers women’s lives,” the statement continued. “This ruling is a stark reminder that Floridians will not back down in the face of government intimidation.”

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Gov. Ron DeSantis' deputy press secretary, Julia Friedland, told Fox News Digital in a statement: “Surprise, surprise, the most ousted District Court judge has issued another order that has the press excited, but these current stories are all getting passed.” beyond the core problem – the…” Ads are clearly false and endanger the lives and health of pregnant women. Florida's Heartbeat Protection Act always protects a mother's life and provides exceptions for victims of rape, incest and human trafficking.

The order expires on October 29th.

Former President Donald Trump previously called Florida's proposed change “radical” in an interview with Fox News and said he disagreed with the change when he heard about it. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Former President Donald Trump previously called Florida's proposed change “radical” in an interview with Fox News, but also said he thought Florida's six-week abortion ban was too short.

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“You need more time than six weeks. I disagreed with it in the early primaries,” Trump told Fox News in August. “When I heard about it, I didn’t agree with it. At the same time, the Democrats are radical because the nine months are just a ridiculous situation.”