# Florida AG Uthmeier Not Named Witness in Hope Florida Grand Jury Probe
*Report details $10M Medicaid settlement funds routed to political committee; experts suggest absence indicates target status.*

- Medio: Civic Coast News (https://civiccoastnews.com)
- URL: https://civiccoastnews.com/noticia/florida-ag-uthmeier-not-named-witness-in-hope-florida-grand-jury-probe
- Sección: Politics
- Autor: Civic Coast News Staff
- Publicado: 2026-08-29T07:09:17.100Z
> Florida AG James Uthmeier is absent from a grand jury report investigating $10M in Medicaid funds used for political ads. Experts suggest this omission indicates he may be a target of the probe.

## Las claves

- Grand jury investigated diversion of $10 million to Uthmeier's PAC without questioning him directly
- Report obtained by CBS News Miami details routing through Hope Florida charity toward Amendment 3 opposition
- Legal experts argue lack of immunity offer suggests prosecutors viewed AG as a central subject or target

A leaked grand jury report obtained by CBS News Miami reveals that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was not called to testify during an investigation into the diversion of taxpayer funds. The grand jury sought to determine how $10 million from a Medicaid settlement landed in the coffers of Keep Florida Clean, a political committee operated by Uthmeier. Despite mentioning Uthmeier 17 times and identifying him as being "in a position of authority over those involved" in redirecting funds intended for children in need toward political advertisements, he was not listed as a witness.

### Analysis of Witness Omission

The report states that the money was routed through Hope Florida and ultimately used to lobby against Amendment 3, a marijuana legalization ballot initiative. The funds were part of a $67 million Medicaid settlement. Legal experts suggest Uthmeier's absence from the witness list is significant. Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg noted that prosecutors typically do not subpoena central subjects without offering immunity, as such witnesses often invoke their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Bruce Udolf, a criminal defense attorney and former chief of the public corruption section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Florida, echoed this sentiment. He stated that if prosecutors viewed someone as a potential target, they would likely be prepared to grant immunity to secure testimony. "Why would you not bring somebody in? That's one reason why," Udolf said regarding the decision to exclude Uthmeier from direct questioning.

### Denials and Political Context

Uthmeier has consistently denied wrongdoing, telling reporters in April that he had "not been a suspect or a target" of the grand jury proceedings. His deputy chief of staff, Jeremy Redfern, dismissed claims that Uthmeier was a target as speculation, stating that the AG was not a signatory to the legal settlement and that the actions were perfectly legal, more context in [DeSantis and Uthmeier Attack Leak of Hope Florida Grand Jury Report](/noticia/desantis-and-uthmeier-attack-leak-of-hope-florida-grand-jury-report).

Despite these denials, Melba Pearson, a former Miami-Dade prosecutor now at Florida International University, argued that excluding key witnesses limited the grand jury's ability to gather information. She noted that without testimony from those who made initial decisions regarding the fund rerouting, establishing criminal responsibility is difficult.

The Leon County State Attorney’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the witness selection process. The final report concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally because no witnesses took responsibility for deciding that $10 million would go to Hope Florida. Uthmeier and Governor Ron DeSantis have previously characterized inquiries into these financial flows as a "hoax," citing the lack of criminal charges in this latest development.
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Fuente original: https://civiccoastnews.com/noticia/florida-ag-uthmeier-not-named-witness-in-hope-florida-grand-jury-probe