In the lead-up to the 2026 Midterms, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) has filed a lawsuit against the state’s Democratic Party and several television (TV) stations to prevent the use of the controversial $10 million Hope Florida scandal in rival campaign ads.
The Highlands County circuit court filing challenges a 30-second campaign ad, paid for by the Florida Democratic Party (FDP), that used the leaked grand jury report from the Hope Florida scandal to influence voters.
The lawsuit also goes after 3 of the 4 statewide Democratic candidates, including gubernatorial nominee David Jolly, attorney general candidate Jose Javier Rodriguez, and chief financial officer challenger Annette Taddeo.
The Ad's Use of The Grand Jury Report
“A leaked grand jury report found taxpayer money was quietly moved into a dark money political committee that James Uthemeier controlled, not to Florida families,” the ad states. “They found $10 million was misappropriated.”
The spot also contained key words such as “conspiracy, concealment, corruption.”
RPOF Argues The Ad Illegally Uses Expunged Report
In the complaint, the RPOF argues that the FDP knowingly violated Florida law by illegally “broadcast[ing] the content, gist, or import of testimony of a witness examined before a grand jury.”
The RPOF argues that the advertisement’s assertions are false, erroneous, and unlawful, citing a recent First District Court of Appeal ruling that expunged the leaked grand jury report.
RPOF Requests Immediate Response Amid Early Voting
The party asked the court to impose an immediate temporary restraining order before the defendants’ response to halt the advertisement from airing.
It also requested a formal declaration that the 11 TV stations in the Orlando and Tampa Bay markets may not lawfully transmit the ad and that the FDP and its candidates may not lawfully place the ad.
The lawsuit was filed just days before early voting began in several Florida counties for the 2026 midterm elections.
“The timing makes the distortion irreparable. Voters who cast ballots on the strength of the Advertisement can’t recast them,” the RPOF argued.
