TALLAHASSEE – This time, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis didn’t even wait for the question.
“I do think it’s really sad to see manufactured smears against the First Lady (Casey DeSantis) and the program that is Hope Florida,” he said at a press conference on Monday.
The remarks come amid growing questions about how a charity spearheaded by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis received $10 million in state funds — and how that money was spent.
State financial records show the Hope Florida Foundation granted $5 million apiece to two dark money political committees linked to the governor and his then-chief of staff.
The timing of the donations coincided with efforts to oppose a November ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.
“At best, this was the inappropriate use of settlement dollars. At worst, this was fraud,” said State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, (D) house minority leader. “This looks, smells and feels like an illegal coordinated scheme to use our tax dollars to fund political actions by Ron DeSantis.”
Democrats are calling for a special investigation. Republicans in the Florida House have already launched one.
During a legislative hearing on April 9, State Rep. Alex Andrade, of Pensacola (R), pressed the state’s top health official for answers.
“I asked a simple question. Do you have information about $10 million that was steered to Hope Florida’s DSO, not even the operational arm, back in October of last year from AHCA?” Andrade asked.
“Again — I am answering that question, Mr. Chair,” replied Shevaun Harris, secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, though department heads failed to offer clear details about how the money from a larger court settlement ended up designated as a donation to Hope Florida.
“It looks like they knew it was wrong because they hid the fact that it was happening,” Driskell added.
“Now we have Republican leadership in the Florida House joining with liberal media and joining with Democrats to launch baseless smears,” DeSantis said.
