TAMPA, Fla. — The DeSantis administration has aggressively contested the release of a sealed grand jury report regarding the Hope Florida charity, arguing that the leak itself constitutes the only criminal act in the saga. Following revelations that $10 million in taxpayer money was misappropriated through the organization, Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier dismissed the findings as politically motivated while threatening legal action against reporters who disseminated the information.
Attorney General Confronts Reporters
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier addressed the media on Thursday, instructing a reporter to look up Florida statutes banning criminal solicitation. The report, which had been sealed for months before being reported by CBS Miami, detailed how funds from a Medicaid settlement were funneled through Hope Florida to two nonprofits and ultimately sent to a political committee fighting Amendment 3, a proposal to legalize marijuana.
Uthmeier refused to discuss the contents of the report beyond labeling it a "politically motivated hoax." He asked the reporter if they were attempting to solicit a crime in violation of the law by asking for comment. Leaking a grand jury report is classified as a first-degree misdemeanor under state statute.
Administration Disputes Findings
The DeSantis administration has maintained that the investigation into Hope Florida was debunked and politically driven. Officials argued that the $10 million gifted to the charity by Medicaid contractor Centene, part of a larger $67 million legal settlement, constituted a "bonus" rather than taxpayer money. This contradicts the grand jury report's finding that all funds belonged to taxpayers.
The report did not find sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against individuals involved in the scheme. These include current U.S. Senator Rick Scott, Attorney General James Uthmeier, Governor DeSantis’ chief of staff, and an appellate judge. Many of these officials assumed their elevated positions following earlier reporting on the scandal by The Herald/Times, more context in Vindman Presses Moody on Hope Florida Diversion of $10M.
DeSantis Focuses on Media Coverage
Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the issue during an unrelated news event in Lake City, agreeing with Uthmeier that leaking the report was a crime. However, he expressed particular offense at media coverage linking the scandal to his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, who had long been the public face of Hope Florida.
DeSantis demanded that press outlets remove articles and images featuring his wife, accusing them of smearing "good people." He stated that those behind the smear in the political arena were "disgraceful" bad actors. Since the grand jury report was issued in January, Casey DeSantis has not promoted Hope Florida.
