In Reply to: Thursday: you’re 80% done but already checked out* posted by mh on August 27, 2026 at 09:08:09
A Florida state grand jury, in a still sealed report, found that the DeSantis administration "misappropriated" $10 million in taxpayer money by diverting funds from a Medicaid settlement to the Hope Florida Foundation.
The report, leaked to CBS News Miami and disclosed Aug. 26, characterized the transfer as part of a “sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,” but at the same time concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.
"We find that the $10 million in question was misappropriated," the report says. "We heard testimony that the purpose of moving the money in question through all the different entities as described above was to get the money to the best suited group to fight the imminent ballot initiative regarding marijuana legalization."
The $10 million came from a $67 million settlement with health care company Centene over alleged overbilling of Florida's Medicaid program. Rather than returning the entire settlement to state coffers, officials ultimately directed $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit associated with First Lady Casey DeSantis' Hope Florida initiative, devised as a conservative alternative to traditional welfare programs.
The grand jury's investigation, which began in 2025, likely derailed a run for governor by Casey DeSantis this year, political insiders have said. And the report's official release had been held up, reportedly by Attorney General James Uthmeier, who is running for election this year; DeSantis appointed him to the post in January 2025.