Florida Probes Possible Fraud in Abortion Amendment

The Florida Department of State is investigating potential fraud in the collection of petition signatures for Amendment 4, which aims to protect abortion rights and overturn the state's six-week abortion ban. Deputy Secretary of State Brad McVay has requested supervisors in Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach, and Osceola counties to review approximately 36,000 signatures, citing concerns about fraudulent activity by petition circulators. Governor Ron DeSantis has been vocal against the amendment, arguing its wording could mislead voters into thinking it supports pro-life measures. Critics of the review, including some election supervisors, view the move as political interference since the signatures had already been verified and the deadline for challenging their validity had passed. The investigation and its implications for the November ballot remain uncertain.