Judge issues temporary injunction against Florida health officials over abortion ad threats 

A Florida judge issued a temporary restraining order against health officials in the state, citing the First Amendment and siding with a group that brought forward a lawsuit alleging that its political speech had been censored in the state after it sponsored an ad in support of an abortion rights ballot initiative.

The lawsuit came after the state’s Department of Health had sent a cease-and-desist letter to television stations in Florida that aired an ad sponsored by Floridians Protecting Freedom in support of Amendment 4, a ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution and overturn the current ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. 

In the court documents, the judge ruled that “political advertisement is political speech — speech at the core of the First Amendment.”

“To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid,” the court documents read.

The documents said that “this Court is persuaded that an injunction, at this juncture, would not be adverse to the public interest.”

The injunction prevents Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo from “taking any further actions to coerce, threaten, or intimate repercussions directly or indirectly to television stations, broadcasters, or other parties for airing” the group’s speech, or “undertaking enforcement action.” The other defendant named is the health department’s former general counsel, John Wilson.

The restraining order is in effect through Oct. 29, when the judge will hold a hearing on whether to grant a longer pause.

The Hill has contacted Ladapo for comment.