FloridaĀ Gov.Ā Ron DeSantisĀ is putting the full weight of the Florida government behind an effort to defeat a ballot measure that would protectĀ abortionĀ access in the state ā€”Ā including by enlisting government lawyers in a campaign to silence a young mother with terminal brain cancer who is warning of the danger Floridaā€™s strict ban poses to women like her.

This November, Florida residents will have the opportunity to vote onĀ Amendment 4; if passed, the measure will enshrine the right to abortion ā€œbefore viability or when necessary to protect the patientā€™s healthā€ in Floridaā€™s constitution. The pitch is broadly popular with Floridians: A September poll showed the measure attracting support fromĀ 76 percentĀ of voters.

But DeSantis, who has signed two separate abortion bans into law ā€” restricting the procedure first at 15 weeks, then 6 weeks gestation ā€”Ā is desperately trying to tank Amendment 4. First, he worked with the Heritage Foundation toĀ add language to the ballot measureĀ implying that relegalizing abortion would have a negative fiscal impact on the state.

Amid that baseless warning, state agencies beganĀ spending public money on TV and radio adsĀ peddling misinformation about the measure, as well as a website that claims Amendment 4 ā€œthreatens womenā€™s safety.ā€

Now, DeSantis is trying to keep a cancer patient named Caroline from sharing the story of her abortion, by threatening to criminally prosecute TV stations that carry the Amendment 4 ad featuring her story.