Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Faces Grand Jury Find Over Misappropriation of Medicaid Fund
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A Florida grand jury has found that the administration of the governor, Ron DeSantis, “misappropriated” $10m in taxpayer money from a Medicaid settlement into the Hope Florida Foundation, a charity with ties to DeSantis’s wife, before the money was reportedly “funneled” into “two political action committees”.
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Associated PressThe Leon County grand jury completed its report in January on investigations into Hope Florida, the charity started in 2021 by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. Despite the lack of charges, the report ignited a new round of criticism aimed at DeSantis and other top state Republicans over the charity receiving $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement intended to help poor children get health insurance.
Washington TimesThe Leon County grand jury completed its report in January on investigations into Hope Florida, the charity started in 2021 by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. Despite the lack of charges, the report ignited a new round of criticism aimed at DeSantis and other top state Republicans over the charity receiving $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement intended to help poor children get health insurance.
HuffPostThe Leon County grand jury completed its report in January on investigations into Hope Florida, the charity started in 2021 by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. Despite the lack of charges, the report ignited a new round of criticism aimed at DeSantis and other top state Republicans over the charity receiving $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement intended to help poor children get health insurance.
The HillGrand jury: DeSantis admin ‘misappropriated’ tax dollars in Hope Florida scandal A Florida grand jury found Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-Fla.) administration “misappropriated” a payment from a Medicaid settlement into the Hope Florida Foundation — an organization “championed” by first lady Casey DeSantis. The grand jury argued the $10 million transfer was “part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,” according to a copy of the…
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The Hope Florida charity is supposed to help financially struggling families connect with churches and aid groups to help keep them off publicly financed assistance programs. The $10 million was instead moved to political action committees that used the money to oppose a 2024 statewide ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana for adults in the state.
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Associated PressThe Hope Florida charity is supposed to help financially struggling families connect with churches and aid groups to help keep them off publicly-financed assistance programs. The $10 million was instead moved to political action committees that used the money to oppose a 2024 statewide ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana for adults in the state.
HuffPostThe Hope Florida charity is supposed to help financially struggling families connect with churches and aid groups to help keep them off publicly-financed assistance programs. The $10 million was instead moved to political action committees that used the money to oppose a 2024 statewide ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana for adults in the state.
The Guardian USThe report goes on to say that after the money was transferred to Hope Florida, it was “quickly funneled” from there into two political action committees, and that the money was then reportedly used to lobby against a ballot measure that would have legalized marijuana in Florida, and was sent to the Republican party of Florida.
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DeSantis on Thursday did not dispute the legitimacy of the secret grand jury report obtained and published online by CBS News Miami, but he insisted no laws were broken and said whoever leaked the sealed documents would face “consequences.”
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Washington TimesDeSantis on Thursday did not dispute the legitimacy of the secret grand jury report obtained and published online by CBS News Miami, but he insisted no laws were broken and said whoever leaked the sealed documents would face “consequences.”
HuffPostDeSantis on Thursday did not dispute the legitimacy of the secret grand jury report obtained and published online by CBS News Miami, but he insisted no laws were broken and said whoever leaked the sealed documents would face “consequences.”
The Guardian USWhen asked by a reporter about the report on Thursday, DeSantis said that the only crime that was “apparent was whoever leaked the grand jury report”.
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The grand jury report concluded that James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time, “was in a position of authority over those involved in settling,” and that his Keep Florida Clean PAC was the prime recipient of the $10 million. The grand jury said then-state Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office knew of the plans to divert the money. She was later appointed by DeSantis to the U.S. Senate.
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Washington TimesThe grand jury report concluded that James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time, “was in a position of authority over those involved in settling,” and that his Keep Florida Clean PAC was the prime recipient of the $10 million. The grand jury said then-state Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office knew of the plans to divert the money. She was later appointed by DeSantis to the U.S. Senate.
HuffPostThe grand jury report concluded that James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time, “was in a position of authority over those involved in settling,” and that his Keep Florida Clean PAC was the prime recipient of the $10 million. The grand jury said then-state Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office knew of the plans to divert the money. She was later appointed by DeSantis to the U.S. Senate.
The Guardian USIn the report, the grand jurors also wrote that they found that the Florida attorney general, James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis’s chief of staff at the time and is currently running for election for a full four-year term, was in a “position of authority over those involved in settling with Centene” and that testimony identified him as “having involvement in directing the money after it went to Hopе Florida”.
6 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 Fox News Homeland Security Secretary responded to criticism from Texas Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico about the deportation of a young boy who was detained with his father by federal immigration authorities.
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02 The Guardian US In the grand jury report, which remains sealed but was obtained and published by CBS News Miami on Wednesday, the grand jurors wrote that “we conclude that these funds were misappropriated as part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities” but said that they found “insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally”.
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03 Associated Press David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor, called for the grand jury probe to be reopened. He faces Republican Byron Donalds in November. DeSantis, under Florida law, cannot seek a third term.
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04 Washington Times David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor, called for the grand jury probe to be reopened. He faces Republican Byron Donalds in November. DeSantis, under Florida law, cannot seek a third term.
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05 HuffPost David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor, called for the grand jury probe to be reopened. He faces Republican Byron Donalds in November. DeSantis, under Florida law, cannot seek a third term.
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06 The Daily Wire Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, who has made fighting corruption a central part of his campaign, attended a Dallas-area fundraiser earlier this month at the home of a convicted fraudster who has donated thousands of dollars to his campaign.
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Sources (7)
- huffpost
- dailywire
- ap
- foxnews
- thehill
- guardian
- washtimes