The Florida Supreme Court fast-tracked a case on Wednesday accusing state officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody, of using public resources and their influence to oppose a constitutional amendment on abortion rights.
The Florida Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it will expedite a case challenging actions taken by state officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody, over their alleged interference in the upcoming vote on a constitutional amendment pertaining to abortion rights.
The petition focuses on actions by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and its Secretary, Jason Weida. Palm Beach attorney Josh Richardson, who brought forward the case, asserts that Weida, along with DeSantis and Moody, improperly used state resources and their official positions to influence public opinion against Amendment 4, which seeks to limit government interference in abortion rights. Filed on September 10, Richardson’s petition claims these actions violate Florida Statutes that prohibit state officials from using their authority to impact election outcomes.
The petition was filed this week following AHCA’s launch of a webpage titled “Florida Cares” on September 5, which contains statements opposing Amendment 4. The website claims that the proposed amendment “Threatens Women’s Safety” and includes what Richardson describes as inflammatory commentary, alongside a list of donors supporting the amendment’s sponsor. Within the document, Richardson contends that the website “is a calculated attempt” to discredit the initiative. Shortly after the webpage’s release, Weida shared it on social media, a move that was subsequently amplified by the AHCA’s official channels.
“Based on the facts outlined earlier, the secretary, the governor, and the attorney general have acted and are acting in excess of their lawful authority,” the petition states. “As is clear … Respondents are using their official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with the election for Amendment 4. The legislature explicitly denied them the authority to do what they are doing.”
Richardson asserts that the actions amount to unlawful electioneering, with state officials using public resources and their influence to shape voter opinion ahead of the November 2024 election.
In response, the Florida Supreme Court has fast-tracked the case. The respondents—Weida, DeSantis, and Moody—must submit their filings by 5:00 p.m. on September 23, 2024, with Richardson’s reply due by 9:00 a.m. on September 30, 2024.
During a Tuesday press conference, DeSantis defended the AHCA website, arguing that it is providing accurate information about Florida’s abortion laws, which he claims are being misrepresented by Amendment 4 supporters. According to the governor, the website simply outlines current state laws and available resources, particularly the legislation allowing abortion up until a fetal heartbeat is detected, with exceptions for rape, incest, the health of the mother, and human trafficking victims. He subsequently criticized opponents of the website for “spreading false information about the state’s laws,” claiming they do so to gain political advantage.
“It’s providing information about what Florida law is and the resources that’ll that are available under that law. They don’t like that because they’re lying about what’s in Florida law,” DeSantis said. “They’re pitching a fit because they want to lie. We have a responsibility to tell the truth about what the policies are in the state of Florida, and that is 100 percent accurate.”