Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday called a state appellate court’s decision to expunge the Hope Florida grand jury report “death by firing squad" and demanded those responsible for leak of the report be held accountable.
DeSantis praised the 19-page ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal, which asserted a $10 million settlement arrangement from Medicaid provider Centene to the Hope Florida Foundation was legal. The ruling was also critical of the leak of the grand jury report to the press.
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“It was more of a political exercise. I think the intent was always to leak something,” he said, blaming members of the Legislature for creating the “phony narrative.”
“The leaking of the grand jury report was a crime that did irreparable harm to innocent people,” DeSantis posted on X. “This was adult supervision by the Court — and yet another example of politically-contrived narratives falling apart under proper scrutiny.”
The governor would not answer whether he would suspend State Attorney Jack Campbell, who oversaw the grand jury proceedings in Tallahassee, but did say he wanted to find out who was responsible for the leak and have charges brought against them.
He said an investigation was ongoing.
The grand jury report found the money was misappropriated because state law bars executive agencies from entering into settlements that pay out third parties. The 2024 settlement agreement, which resolved alleged overpayments by Centene in multiple states, sent $57 million to state coffers and $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation.
The Hope Florida Foundation is a nonprofit, part of an initiative started by first lady Casey DeSantis to connect those on welfare with private sector charities. The foundation funneled the money to two other nonprofits, which in turn gave the money to a political committee headed by James Uthmeier, who at the time was DeSantis’ chief of staff.
The committee opposed measures on the 2024 ballot to legalize recreational marijuana and install a right to an abortion in the state constitution. DeSantis vehemently opposed both measures, and each fell short of the 60 percent needed to pass. DeSantis later appointed Uthmeier as attorney general.
But the appellate ruling states that because no “civil action” had been filed in court, the law doesn’t apply to the settlement. And because the $10 million was paid directly to Hope Florida and not the state, the money wasn’t “diverted” as the grand jury report indicated.
The ruling also criticized Campbell for the leak of the grand jury report to the press. Under state law, grand jury reports that don’t lead to indictments are supposed to be sealed until those named in the report are given a copy and the opportunity to suppress and expunge the record.
The ruling was written by Judge Lance Neff, who was appointed to the court by DeSantis in March, two months after the grand jury report was finalized.
Supporters of the governor and Uthmeier declared “victory” over the “hoax” after the ruling was released Wednesday afternoon.
But Democrats said the findings of the appeals court didn’t deny that the settlement money was used for political purposes.
“The court opinion doesn’t change the fact that millions of taxpayer dollars wound up in coffers controlled by Uthmeier and, ultimately, the Republican Party of Florida,” said House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa. “The Governor still believes the only crime committed was that the report was released and the people found out what they were up to. Floridians deserve better.”
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said questions remain about the $10 million to Hope Florida.
“This is what unchecked power looks like after decades of one-party rule in Tallahassee: the people in charge protect their own, bury the evidence and call it vindication,” she said in a statement. “Voters will have the final say this November.”
