Lawmakers end Hope Florida charity probe without hearing from key players

[Zorro]

Rep. Alex Andrade said he believed Florida’s attorney general committed crimes.

House lawmakers are ending their probe into Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Hope Florida Foundation without hearing testimony from the organization’s lawyer or leaders of two groups that got $5 million grants from the charity.

Rep. Alex Andrade, the Pensacola Republican who has been spearheading the investigation, said Thursday that he believed Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and the charity’s lawyer, Jeff Aaron, committed criminal acts when they moved $10 million from a Medicaid overbilling settlement to the foundation.

The foundation gave the money to two other nonprofits, which then gave $8.5 million to a political committee controlled by Uthmeier.

But Andrade said his committee wouldn’t be the ones to prosecute them. The legislative session is scheduled to end next week.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/04/24/desantis-casey-hope-florida-charity-medicaid-investigation-ending/

[Biophilic]

1. Well, what a surprise.

[Kid Berwyn]

2. So, does Mrs. DeSantis get to keep the money?

Oh, happy day.

Countering DeSantis, $10M Hope Florida donation came from Medicaid, draft shows

Top DeSantis administration officials were involved in negotiations.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/04/22/desantis-casey-medicaid-settlement-hope-charity-andrade/