The failure of an amendment legalizing abortion sparked outrage from one commentator, who called efforts against it “openly fascist.”
That commentator was MSNBC’s Joy Reid, who spoke about the failure of Amendment 4 in Florida on Tuesday evening, as Fox News reported.
Reid aired her frustration about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
“He’s put everything on it, including, as you said, threats, whatever it takes to try to make sure that that amendment fails using the power of government in a way that is, I would say, openly fascist and very determined,” Reid said.
The failure of the amendment to pass will harm not only the residents, but the entire state, according to Reid.
“It’s a pure Project 2025 in miniature in Florida,” Reid added, per the New York Post. “That kind of extremist right-wing, fascist-type government in Florida — does that make it a more attractive place — or does it make it more like some of the other southern states that don’t get investment?”
The measure needed to surpass 60% approval to pass. Amendment 4 received majority support with voters but did not reach 60%.
Most abortions after six weeks of gestation were banned last year after DeSantis signed the Heartbeat Protection Act, Fox reported. The amendment would have worked to overturn that ban.
DeSantis has been pushing for the amendment to fail. He spoke about the measure during a previous event at Jesuit High School in Tampa.
“If you care about building a culture of life in this state or this country, them winning in Florida I think really represents the end of the pro-life movement,” DeSantis said, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
“If you look at the state of Florida, we do not have a pro-life majority,” DeSantis added. “We’ve got a big chunk, but we don’t have a majority. If only people that are pro-life oppose it, it very well might pass.”
