Gov. Ron DeSantis defends himself and wife over $10M Hope Florida funds, slamming claims as politically driven attacks.

Governor’s Office Dismisses Allegations as Politically Motivated

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing back against allegations that he and First Lady Casey DeSantis were involved in the redirection of $10 million from a Medicaid settlement to organizations connected to political activity. The controversy stems from a $67 million settlement reached in September 2024 between the state and Centene, a major Medicaid and Medicare provider.

Following the settlement, $10 million was allocated to the Hope Florida Foundation, which later granted $5 million each to two 501(c)(4) entities: Save Our Society from Drugs and Secure Florida’s Future, Inc. A total of $8.5 million of those funds was then transferred to Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee that opposed Florida Amendment 3, which sought to legalize recreational marijuana—a position publicly opposed by Casey DeSantis.

Communications Director Bryan Griffin denounced the criticism as a form of “lawfare,” likening the scrutiny of the DeSantises to legal assaults on President Trump and his nominees. “It’s ridiculous and especially shameful coming from Republicans who hate to see others delivering results,” Griffin said.

A senior official from the governor’s office emphasized that the Hope Florida Foundation is distinct from the Hope Florida initiative led by Casey DeSantis and denied any formal investigation by the Leon County State Attorney’s Office, despite claims suggesting otherwise.

In an email dated May 21, the New York Times revised a headline that had implied Casey DeSantis was under investigation. The correction followed clarification from the governor’s office stating that no formal inquiry was underway.

Disputed Claims and Political Fallout

Florida Republican Rep. Alex Andrade, who chairs the state’s healthcare appropriations subcommittee, initially raised questions after reviewing documents on the fund transfers. Andrade, however, stated he does not believe either DeSantis is directly involved and attributed the funding decisions to the governor’s former chief of staff. “I don’t see how Casey or [Ron] DeSantis are involved,” he said.

Andrade also criticized the Hope Florida initiative itself, questioning the credibility of claims regarding the work being done by state employees. “The concept of Hope Florida is telling existing employees to do a better job of helping people,” he said. “That’s it.”

Governor DeSantis addressed the matter directly at a press conference in Westin on May 21, dismissing Andrade’s position as politically driven. “You had one state representative with a political agenda… to try to smear Hope Florida—to try to smear people associated with the administration,” he said. DeSantis defended his wife’s record, noting that her work had led to $100 million in taxpayer savings and helped 30,000 individuals transition off welfare.

The controversy comes amid speculation about Casey DeSantis potentially entering the governor’s race as her husband is term-limited. Republican Rep. Byron Donalds remains the only declared GOP candidate so far and has already secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Efforts to obtain comment from the Leon County State Attorney’s Office were unsuccessful as of publication.