Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday continued his push to get voters to reject Amendment 4 by appearing in Coral Gables alongside anti-abortion doctors, including one of his appointees to the Board of Medicine, to criticize the proposed abortion-access initiative.
The DeSantis administration has already enlisted agencies under the governor’s command to try to sway voters. But the event held Monday, the first day of early voting, and publicized by the governor’s office, functioned more like a campaign rally since it included a crowd of opponents to the measure — a “friendly audience,” according to Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski. The governor did not take any questions from news reporters.
Instead, DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez used the forum to rail against Amendment 4 as “radical” and said that if passed by voters it would result in the repeal of a long line of existing abortion regulations, including those regarding the safety of abortions clinics, requirements for ultrasounds, and parental consent.
Nuñez during her remarks pushed people to vote down the amendment due to their faith.
“We cannot go to church and pray like Christians and turn around and vote like atheists,” said Nuñez, whose comments drew loud applause.
Florida Public Radio has written an explanation of some of what the amendment would and would not do.
Christie, one of five physicians to speak during the event, insisted abortion wasn’t a religious issue.
Dr. Steven Christie is an oncological radiologist in Miami, the creator of the website Speaking for the Unborn, and a Board of Medicine member. (Source: Catholic Charities of Central Florida)
“While many of our world’s major religions speak powerfully and elegantly and persuasively about the dignity of all human life, Amendment 4 is not a religious issue,” said Christie, one of five physicians to speak during the event.
“The physicians standing here beside me right now, oppose Amendment 4 based on the science and the law, and social justice concerns, and morality, and ethics, and the visible evidence.”
Christie continued: “We have all taken an oath to not harm our patients. We don’t oppose this amendment simply because of our various religions. And by the way, we don’t all have the same religion here on stage. People of all religions or no religion at all should stand proudly against Amendment 4.”
Meanwhile, Erik Dellenback, who leads DeSantis’ faith initiative, has been appearing at churches encouraging congregations to vote against the amendment.
‘Weaponization of state government’
Anders Croy of DeSantis Watch, a project run by progressive groups, blasted the event as the “weaponization of state government.”
“Time and time again, Governor Ron DeSantis has abused taxpayer dollars to carry out his extreme agenda attacking the freedoms of his constituents, including when it comes to abortion care, while those patients seeking care, and the doctors trying to provide it, have come under attack from the same state government tasked with protecting their ability to be healthy, prosperous, and safe,” he said in a press release.
“What this misuse of taxpayer dollars makes clear is that the state government in Florida believes it is entitled to interfere in the private medical decisions of patients and doctors and shows once again why voters will be voting Yes on 4 to end this extreme abortion ban once and for all.”
State power
DeSantis consistently has used his broad administrative powers and state resources to beat back against Amendment 4, sponsored by Floridians Protecting Freedom (FPF).
The Agency for Health Care Administration this summer used a state website to post anti-abortion information including a message that Amendment 4 threatens women’s safety. There were unsuccessful legal challenges filed in Leon County trial court and the Florida Supreme Court to have the information taken down.
AHCA, which regulates health care facilities, earlier this month denied an abortion clinic’s application for licensure even though an administrative law judge recommended the license be granted.
In August, AHCA ordered an abortion clinic to pay a $193,000 fine for failing to abide by a law requiring a 24-hour waiting period for abortions. The fine was nearly triple what an administrative judge ordered. Because AHCA cannot sanction physicians it referred the doctor who performed the abortions, most of which were medical, to the Department of Health to prosecute. The DOH is recommending the Board of Medicine revoke the physician’s license.
The DOH on Oct. 3 sent letters threatening television stations airing an FPF ad supporting Amendment 4. FPF successfully sued the DeSantis administration in federal court. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker temporarily barred the health department from taking further action to stop broadcasters from airing political speech from the Yes on 4 campaign.
DeSantis’ appearance in Coral Gables came as a new University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Poll shows 60% support for Amendment 4. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus about 3-1/2 points. To pass, 60% of the voters must approve the amendment.
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