In abortion fight, Florida Gov. DeSantis says he's exempt from election interference law
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/23/desantis-lawyers-defend-interference-claim-over-abortion-amendment/75353512007/
In opposing the state's abortion rights ballot measure, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's office is saying she and Gov. Ron DeSantis are exempt from a state law barring them from using their "official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election."
That's according to a Monday evening response her office filed to a legal action accusing them of abusing their offices in opposing Amendment 4, which would ensure abortion access in Florida if gets at least 60% of the vote in November.
"The executive branch is well within its rights in expressing its concerns about a proposed amendment to the States governing charter," Moody's legal team wrote.
In suing Moody, DeSantis and Jason Weida, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, a Lake Worth attorney had asked the Florida Supreme Court to intervene and stop what he accuses of being illegal government interference.
That attorney, Adam Richardson, took issue with how AHCA published a webpage bashing the amendment and then put a television advertisement linking to it. Also mentioned in Richardson's filing is how the Governors Faith and Community Initiative reached out to religious groups to advertise a call with Moody titled, "Your Legal Rights & Amendment 4s Ramifications."