A week before Election Day, a federal judge on Tuesday extended a restraining order preventing Florida officials from taking action against TV stations airing a contentious ad supporting a ballot measure aimed at protecting abortion rights in Florida’s Constitution.
The ad, sponsored by the Floridians Protecting Freedom political committee and backing Amendment 4, faced opposition from the state Department of Health, which claimed the ad presented a “public health nuisance.”
READ: Florida Republicans Lead In Voting With Over 5 Million Early And Mail-In Ballots Cast
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted the restraining order after the committee argued that the state’s letters threatening broadcasters with legal action infringed on First Amendment rights.
The ad, titled “Caroline,” tells the story of a woman who had an abortion after a life-threatening cancer diagnosis during pregnancy.
The state argued the ad’s message could mislead viewers about Florida’s abortion laws, though Judge Walker extended the order for 14 days, stating that the ad is protected political speech.
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