A state grand jury convened this week to investigate the Hope Florida Foundation scandal. Hope Florida Foundation is a charity that was created under Governor Ron DeSantis’ (R) administration, and First Lady Casey DeSantis has championed the charity.
The inquiry centers on allegations that $10 million from a state Medicaid legal settlement was funneled through the foundation for political purposes. Specifically, the funds were allegedly used to help defeat a recreational marijuana ballot initiative.
Lawmakers argue that the DeSantis administration directed Medicaid contractor Centene to donate part of its $67 million settlement to the foundation, which then passed nearly all of it to political committees.
State Rep. Alex Andrade (R), who has been part of the investigation, commented on the ordeal, accusing Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) and Jeff Aaron, the attorney for the foundation, “engaged in a conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.”
Records show the Agency for Health Care Administration’s general counsel added the donation language to the settlement “per our discussion” with then-secretary Jason Weida, who is now serving as Governor DeSantis’ chief of staff.
Attorney General Uthmeier was reportedly involved in early settlement talks and later oversaw the campaign against Amendment 3, the recreational marijuana ballot initiative.
The $10 million was routed through two nonprofits before landing in Attorney General Uthmeier’s political committee, Keep Florida Clean, which transferred $8.5 million to the Republican Party of Florida and $1.1 million to Governor DeSantis’ Florida Freedom Fund.
The GOP’s biggest expenses, adding up to $46 million, during that period were ad buys opposing Amendments 3 and 4.
Neither Governor DeSantis nor First Lady Case DeSantis have clarified their roles in the scandal, and the grand jury is likely to issue indictments in the coming weeks.
Roger Stone, President Donald Trump’s (R) most notable political consultant, has been a vocal critic of Governor DeSantis.
On social media, Stone directed criticism at Florida’s attorney general, suggesting that he would soon be “indicted for helping Ron DeSantis and his mouthy unlikable wife divert $10 million in Medicare funds that were earmarked for the poor, the elderly and the handicapped,” and instead accusing them of using “the money for their political campaigns against statewide constitutional amendments.”
