CBS affiliate WINK News has stopped airing a misleading ad supporting Florida’s Amendment 4. The ad, created by a dark money group, falsely claimed that Florida law prohibits abortions even when a pregnancy threatens the mother’s life, according to political committee Vote No On 4.
Florida law does allow doctors to terminate pregnancies in such cases. The Florida Department of Health expressed concerns that the ad could deter women in life-threatening situations from seeking necessary medical care.
READ: Supreme Court Decision On Pennsylvania Gun Law Casts Shadow Over Florida Case
“The advertisement is not only false; it is dangerous. Women faced with pregnancy complications posing a serious risk of death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment may and should seek medical treatment in Florida,” wrote the Florida Department of Health in a letter objecting to the deceptive pro-Amendment 4 ad. “However, if they are led to believe that such treatment is unavailable under Florida law, such women could foreseeably travel out of state to seek emergency medical care, seek emergency medical care from unlicensed providers in Florida, or not seek emergency medical care at all.”
In tragic situations where a woman must end her pregnancy to save her own life, it is already completely legal in Florida for a doctor to perform an abortion.
Voting for Amendment 4 would not change that – but it would allow non-licensed “medical providers” to carry out risky surgical procedures, further endangering the woman’s health and life, according to political committee Vote No On 4.
READ: Florida Judge Denies Blocking State Agency’s Abortion Amendment Information
“Why have the radicals backing Amendment 4 resorted to outright lies about Florida law? Because they cannot win on the facts. The fact is that Amendment 4 would change Florida’s constitution to impose taxpayer-funded abortion on demand – even with no medical justification, without the involvement of doctors, and late into pregnancy, when science says the baby can feel pain. Amendment 4 is too extreme for Florida, and the “Yes on 4” campaign knows that. That’s why they’re so desperate to deceive Floridians with dishonest ads, like the one WINK News took down,” said the PAC.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Android Users: Download our free app to stay up-to-date on the latest news.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.