A.G. Gancarski
Is Gov. Ron DeSantis going too far in trying to defeat an amendment to restore abortion access?
That’s what one group says.
“Gov. DeSantis is using his election police to intimidate voters who dare to have beliefs that differ from his. This opens the door towards making voters and all Floridians feel unsafe for voicing their constitutionally protected opinions on important issues like abortion,” says All Voting is Local Action’s Florida State Director Brad Ashwell.
“It’s been clear from day one that the purpose of the election police was to harass voters who don’t have the same viewpoints as the governor. By going after a petition for Amendment 4, which is already on the ballot, Gov. DeSantis is undermining the will of voters and stomping over their democratic freedoms for his own political gain,” Ashwell adds.
State officials are visiting people who signed the petition to get the measure on the ballot, per the Tampa Bay Times, in an effort to establish what reporters call “potential petition fraud.”
The DeSantis administration is already under fire for a so-called transparency webpage that combats “the lies and disinformation surrounding Florida’s abortion laws” to make the case that the amendment, which would end the current ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, is not needed.
Prior to that, the administration waded into the debate about ballot language to ensure it reads that litigation would impact the state budget if the amendment should pass.
The Governor is investing what appears to be dwindling political capital into this push. New polling suggests legalized abortion, with 55% approval, is more popular than DeSantis, who is under 50%. However, the amendment would need 60% support to pass.
10 comments
Sundance
September 7, 2024 at 10:26 am
Between coverages and pay to play . Idk. But my electric better not go up..
Ocean Joe
September 7, 2024 at 10:37 am
“The Governor is investing what appears to be dwindling political capital into this push. New polling suggests legalized abortion… is more popular than DeSantis, who is under 50%.”
Impeach, our “wildly popular” governor is floundering. Same on the pot amendment. Our anachronistic legislature repeated forces the people of Florida to amend the constitution because they represent the few who bankroll them, not the public.
Michael
September 7, 2024 at 10:40 am
Ron DeSantis was born 89 years too late and 4,781 miles too far to the southwest.
He cannot seem to beat out Trump, but maybe he could have beat out an earlier tyrant.
ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN
September 7, 2024 at 11:04 am
Good Morn ‘Ting Dook 4 Brains Leftys,
This is not about abortion. Its about Ron & Florida’s Sage Election Police arresting dirty rotton election cheaters.
Why do I, ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN, always have to give you Dooks Sage Correction & Direction????
ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN
JD
September 7, 2024 at 11:20 am
It is all about abortion and King DeSantis is trying to use force to stop the will of the people.
You know what America did Tryants like DeSantis? We revolted and kicked them out of the country. King DeSantis needs dethroned.
Don’t Tread On Me said We the People.
JD
September 7, 2024 at 11:21 am
We are not left – you are aligned with a Tyrant.
We the PEOPLE say DON’T TREAD ON WE!
DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM
Michael K
September 7, 2024 at 11:19 am
Voter intimidation is all the rage – look at what is happening in Texas. And, rest assured, the voter police are nowhere near The Villages where actual voter fraud occurred. Nope. Just look for a concentration of Black and Brown people.
Speaking of rage, our governor refused multiple requests from the Washington Post to explain his elimination of cultural funding, to the detriment of arts education, especially, in rural areas. What a mensch. (Not).
Richard Paula
September 7, 2024 at 11:34 am
DeSantis is a pimple on the ass of Florida. He is a pint sized would be Mussolini. Enough of his meddling into the lives of the people of Florida.
Cheesy Floridian
September 7, 2024 at 11:58 am
I love how you put this
Cheesy Floridian
September 7, 2024 at 12:00 pm
I really hope that a lot of people are paying attention to what DeSantis and his administration are doing to this state. This is wrong on so many levels. This is stuff you hear about and read about in countries like Russia, Cuba, China etc. and let’s look at the future, are people going to be willing to freely support amendments to get them on the ballot if they know that the police will show up to their door asking about it? Nope. This isn’t America.