Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is under increasing scrutiny following revelations that $10 million from a Medicaid-related legal settlement may have been improperly routed through a nonprofit tied to his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis.
The money, part of a broader $67 million settlement from Centene Corp. over Medicaid overbilling, was reportedly redirected to the Hope Florida Foundation—a group closely linked to the DeSantis administration and launched by the first lady. Critics allege that funds intended for state and federal coffers were instead funneled to political groups opposing a recreational marijuana ballot measure last fall, which the governor also opposed.
Though DeSantis denies any wrongdoing, documents released by Florida media appear to show draft communications suggesting the governor’s office had knowledge of how the funds would be used. One of the groups that benefited was reportedly tied to his former chief of staff.
The political backlash has come from both sides of the aisle. GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Alex Andrade, chair of the state’s Healthcare Budget Subcommittee, have grilled foundation leaders over transparency and financial mismanagement. During a recent hearing, the foundation’s chair admitted that public records revealed reporting “gaps” and insufficient oversight.
Andrade has since raised alarms over whether Medicaid dollars were deliberately steered toward political causes. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a longtime DeSantis ally, even floated the idea of impeachment for Florida’s new attorney general, who was allegedly involved in the disbursement.
In response, DeSantis has called the criticism part of a smear campaign. He defended Casey DeSantis’ work with Hope Florida, claiming the initiative has helped thousands of families move off public assistance. He also accused some Republican critics of acting like Democrats, claiming they were coordinating with the media to undermine him and his administration.
Still, polling shows that Casey DeSantis remains popular among Republican voters, and her name has been floated as a potential gubernatorial candidate in the future.
Despite mounting pressure, the Florida House announced it would halt its investigation into the matter for the current legislative session. Lawmakers said they had collected enough information to shape future policy but declined to issue subpoenas or pursue further action for now.
The abrupt pause followed the no-show of several key witnesses expected to testify about the foundation’s operations and funding flows—including legal and business leaders tied to the program.
While the DeSantis administration insists that the $10 million directed to the nonprofit was separate from the Medicaid settlement funds, critics remain unconvinced. With questions lingering, some see the controversy as emblematic of the broader tensions within the Florida GOP—especially in a session marked by sharp disagreements between the governor and House leadership.
Whether this will impact future elections or slow DeSantis’ national ambitions remains to be seen, but insiders agree: the political storm around Hope Florida is far from over.
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