Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference with Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4 in Coral Gables on Oct. 21, 2024. (Screenshot from Florida Channel)
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top lawyers prepared drafts of letters threatening criminal charges against broadcasters airing a pro-Amendment 4 ad to the Florida Department of Health’s legal counsel and told him to send them on the agency’s behalf, court records revealed Monday.
John Wilson, former general counsel to the health department, wrote in an affidavit that officials from the governor’s office told him to sign his name to the Oct. 3 letters threatening television stations airing an ad from Floridians Protecting Freedom, the sponsor of the abortion-rights amendment.
The governor’s general counsel, Ryan Newman, ordered Wilson to continue sending correspondence to the broadcasters, which prompted Wilson to resign on Oct. 10, he wrote. But before Wilson left his post, Newman instructed him to execute contracts with two law firms to pursue litigation against the television stations that received the cease-and-desist letters.
“I did not draft the letters or participate in any discussions about the letters prior to October 3, 2024,” Wilson wrote in the affidavit.
He continued: “I resigned from my position as General Counsel in lieu of complying with directives from Newman and Doty to send out further correspondence to the media outlets, similar to the October 3, 2024, letters.”
Wilson also names Assistant General Counsel Sam Elliot and Deputy General Counsel Jed Doty with the governor’s office in his affidavit.
The account, providing additional details of the governor’s use of state resources against Amendment 4, surfaced in a federal lawsuit the sponsor filed against the health department.
U.S. judge blocks DeSantis admin’s threats to broadcasters over Amendment 4 ads
Attorneys representing Floridians Protecting Freedom are dropping claims against Wilson, whom they had sued personally after he resigned.
“This affidavit exposes state interference at the highest level. It’s clear the State is hellbent on keeping Florida’s unpopular, cruel abortion ban in place,” wrote Lauren Brenzel, Yes on 4 campaign director.
“Their extreme attacks on Amendment 4 are an anti-democratic tactic to keep Floridians from being able to make their own choice about whether Amendment 4 should become law. It’s a distraction, and it’s desperate and it won’t work.”
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker temporarily barred the health department from taking further action to stop broadcasters from airing political speech from the Yes on 4 campaign.
Meanwhile, DeSantis held a press conference with Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4 in Coral Gables Monday morning.
A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately respond to request for comment.