The Hope Florida controversy, explained: Why Casey DeSantis' program is under scrutiny
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Florida first lady Casey DeSantis speaks alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
A welfare assistance program spearheaded by first lady Casey DeSantis is under fire from Republican lawmakers who question the legality of a $10 million donation it received last year.
The big picture: Hope Florida, a DeSantis initiative to connect struggling Floridians to nonprofit resources, could become a political liability for the first lady if she runs for governor next year.
- Republican criticism of the program is part of an escalating feud with Gov. Ron DeSantis over differing legislative priorities.
- DeSantis, who is term-limited, has talked up the first lady as a potential gubernatorial candidate and criticized President Trump's pick for the position.
Catch up quick: The Hope Florida Foundation, the charity arm of the program, received the $10 million last year as part of a $67 million settlement between the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and healthcare giant Centene Corporation, multiple outlets reported.
- State law says the donation should have gone to a trust fund or general fund overseen by state lawmakers, the AP reports.
- The foundation also appears to be out of compliance with multiple state laws, including failing to submit its annual audit and publish its tax forms, per the AP.
The latest: The Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times reported Friday that the Hope Florida Foundation gave the $10 million to two groups that would later donate $8.5 million to a political committee created to defeat Florida's recreational marijuana referendum last November.
- The political committee, Keep Florida Clean, was controlled by Gov. DeSantis' then-chief-of-staff, James Uthmeier, who is now Florida's attorney general.
- A spokesperson for Ron DeSantis' Florida Freedom Fund political committee told the Herald and Times it was "absolutely false" that any of the Centene money went to the campaign against Amendment 3.
- Jeff Aaron, attorney for the Hope Florida Foundation, told the outlets that the money from Centene was not sent to political committees and that he remains "confident nothing was illegal."
Meanwhile, Gov. DeSantis is asking lawmakers to enshrine Hope Florida into state law.
What they're saying: House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Miami Republican, said this week the transaction "looks as though it could be illegal."
- "And I only state that because we were never notified of that $10 million."
The other side: Gov. DeSantis defended the donation and slammed criticism as "political nonsense."
- The donation was a separate contribution on top of what Centene was going to give the state health care agency, he said this week.
- "When you do settlements, you can try to get as much money as you can, but this was in addition to what they were getting."
What we're watching: Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican, has floated the possibility of subpoenaing state officials to answer questions about Hope Florida.