The 1st District Court of Appeal, in its opinion, sided with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration in the Hope Florida saga, which began after the state arranged for $10 million from a Medicaid settlement to go to the Hope Florida Foundation.
Most of that money quickly ended up in an anti-marijuana political committee controlled by DeSantis’ then-chief of staff, James Uthmeier. (DeSantis later appointed Uthmeier as Florida’s attorney general.)
The grand jury’s presentment was never made public by any Florida court. Instead, CBS Miami published the leaked report in late August.
State law requires that grand jury reports naming a person, but not indicting them, be kept confidential until an “individual concerned” can weigh in on whether they want the report suppressed.
According to the appellate court’s decision, on Jan. 28 and 29, the state attorney’s office in Tallahassee sent the report to “at least” 49 people it believed were entitled to a copy.
In August, a group of people named in the grand jury report appealed the decision to only partially redact it. On Aug. 25, the appellate court granted their petition, and prohibited State Attorney Jack Campbell from disclosing any grand jury matters. The next day, CBS Miami published a copy of the report.
TLDR:
- DeSantis’ admin committed Medicaid fraud and sent 10 million to his wife’s foundation (Hope Florida) from the Medicaid fund.
- His admin then used the funds for advertising so people voted against marijuana and I think other stuff.
- The grand jury thought he did it but refused to indict. It’s Florida though, to say it’s mob-like is an understatement.
- DeSantis is pissed that it leaked because hopefully, it ruins his career.