TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A criminal investigation is now underway into the Hope Florida Foundation.
The nonprofit foundation is connected to a program created by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Lawmakers in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ own party have been investigating Hope Florida amid revelations that its foundation gave $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement to two nonprofits. Those groups in turn gave millions to a political committee, chaired by DeSantis’ then-chief of staff and now Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, that campaigned against a failed referendum on recreational marijuana.
Prosecutors in Tallahassee are looking into a behind-the-scenes money trail and whether crimes like money laundering or fraud might be involved.
Casey DeSantis gave another almost-daily defense of Hope Florida Tuesday.
“This is not about politics,” she said.
Her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, echoed that.
“I think that everything that’s been thrown at it is pure politics,” he said.
If politics are at play, as the governor suggests, that would not even matter if evidence confirms a shell game of public money diverted to DeSantis’ political endeavors.
There is already probable cause documented by the state House committee investigation last month that ended when those involved called in for interviews declined to show.
That House committee documented an outline and timeline last fall of texts and letters and documents connecting $10 million in state settlement money diverted without board leadership knowing, into ― and then out of ― the Hope Florida Foundation in days. Uthmeier shepherded the whole process, with the money eventually landing in his political action committee.
Leon County prosecutor Jack Campbell declined to comment Tuesday.
The criminal investigation was revealed when a records clerk declined to release records in the case, citing the open investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
