Scrutiny of DeSantis' Hope Florida Intensifies with Fresh Revelations about $10M Payment
Within days of receiving funding from the Hope Florida Foundation, two groups contributed financially to the campaign against the pot amendment.
TroibNews 
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to counter a Florida recreational cannabis ballot measure involved $10 million in funding from two organizations that previously received money from a nonprofit connected to first lady Casey DeSantis’ community assistance initiative, Hope Florida.
Hope Florida has faced increased scrutiny regarding whether it improperly received state funds. Two organizations clarified to Hope Florida in correspondence that they did not allocate the received funds for political activities. However, these groups ended up providing financial support to the campaign opposing the pot amendment shortly after receiving funds from the Hope Florida Foundation.
Launched by the first lady, Hope Florida explored a collaboration with a Florida Chamber of Commerce initiative that assisted Gov. DeSantis in defeating Amendment 3. A review of state election records indicates that the same initiative from the Florida Chamber of Commerce contributed nearly $5 million to DeSantis' campaign in the fortnight leading up to the November election.
Despite the timing, letters from the foundation governing Hope Florida indicate that $5 million was allocated to the chamber’s Secure Florida’s Future initiative to promote Casey DeSantis’ program and facilitate future business partnerships.
A proposal letter sent to Hope Florida assured that the chamber-led initiative, which also played a role in opposing Amendment 3 in the previous election, would not utilize the $5 million grant for political or election-related activities.
Florida Chamber President Mark Wilson stated that the funds would target a long-term recruitment strategy for business partners and a public awareness campaign.
“By utilizing our network of robust communications and outreach channels serving our hundreds of thousands of employer- and business organization-members representing every industry, sector and region of Florida,” Wilson explained in the letter.
The Hope Florida board allocated another $5 million to Save Our Society from Drugs, a St. Petersburg-based organization focused on preventing drug use and enhancing access to recovery programs.
“The importance of this work cannot be overstated,” Amy Ronshausen, executive director of Save Our Society from Drugs, noted in her letter. “Drug use continues to have a devastating impact on families, the workforce, and community health.”
Hope Florida, initiated by Casey DeSantis four years ago as a community welfare initiative, aims to lessen reliance on government-funded programs. This year, Gov. DeSantis requested the Legislature to formally establish Hope Florida in state law, prompting a financial review that has raised questions and concerns among state House leaders regarding taxpayer dollar usage.
Casey DeSantis is contemplating a gubernatorial run to succeed her term-limited husband. Gov. DeSantis has consistently praised the initiative and commended his wife's efforts in its development.
Last week, Florida’s House Health Care Budget Subcommittee spent considerable time questioning the state Agency for Health Care Administration about $10 million donated to Hope Florida as part of a settlement with the state’s largest Medicaid operator. This AHCA settlement was documented in the minutes from an Oct. 14 board meeting of the Hope Florida Foundation.
The board minutes also mention a “strategic partnership” between Hope Florida and Secure Florida’s Future, referring to it as a grant proposal developed by the “Department and Executive Administration” aimed at engaging with business and community partners to advance Hope Florida’s mission.
“Secure Florida’s Future is uniquely positioned to enhance awareness of Hope Florida’s efforts within the private sector using a data-driven approach,” the minutes stated.
Hope Florida, a nonprofit affiliated with the Florida Department of Children and Families, convinced a joint-legislative committee to approve a transfer of $20.7 million in unspent Covid federal housing assistance funds to Hope Florida.
This fund transfer received approval on Oct. 24 — around the same time the Hope Florida board discussed the partnership and grant proposal with the chamber’s anti-pot initiative. The board minutes also refer to memos created to document each cash disbursement approved by the panel. DCF was unable to provide these memos on Friday, but Tori Cuddy, an agency strategic initiatives manager, stated that the more than $20 million transfer involved unspent administrative funds from the housing assistance program owed to DCF. The funds did not go to the Hope Florida Foundation.
“The Department receives requests through Hope Florida for housing assistance and is using the remaining funds to address rental and/or utility assistance through Hope Florida, which is open to any Floridian,” Cuddy explained.
The Hope Florida Foundation board is chaired by Joshua Hay, who was asked by state House Health Care Budget Subcommittee Chair Alex Andrade to clarify the program's finances during a meeting on Wednesday. Andrade indicated during a Wednesday night podcast with former Rep. Matt Gaetz that he would issue subpoenas for financial records if Hay or other board members did not appear.
State House scrutiny of Hope Florida prompted DeSantis to criticize the chamber and House Speaker Daniel Perez for allegedly undermining other Republicans. Andrade has also faced backlash from DeSantis after accusing the administration of illegal activity by misusing state settlement funds that facilitated a $10 million donation to Hope Florida shortly before the November election.
The donation, made by the state’s largest Medicaid managed care operator, Centene, was part of a $67 million settlement concerning the operator’s pharmacy benefit manager. At a Thursday news conference, DeSantis characterized the $67 million deal as the best that state Agency for Health Care Administration staffers could negotiate with Centene, given the case's weakness.
However, Centene clarified in a statement provided to PMG that ACHA directed the settlement terms in conjunction with the state Attorney General's office.
The settlement agreement was executed on Sept. 27 by Chief Deputy Attorney General John Guard, then-AHCA Secretary Jason Weida, and Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky.
“The allocation of funds detailed in the settlement document was directed by the Agency for Health Care Administration and approved by the Florida Attorney General’s Office,” Centene's statement read. “Centene had no part in or knowledge of any decision by the Hope Florida Foundation regarding the subsequent use of any Foundation funds.”
The political committee established to oppose Amendment 3 was chaired by James Uthmeier, who also served as chief of staff for DeSantis and was appointed as Florida’s attorney general earlier this year.
Campaign records indicate that Keep Florida Clean received $4.85 million from Secure Florida’s Future, primarily in October after the Hope Florida Foundation granted the funds. Save Our Society from Drugs contributed $5.75 million as well, with a substantial portion arriving in late October.
Keep Florida Clean directed $11.5 million to the Republican Party of Florida in October, leading to over $16 million spent on television ads opposing Amendment 3, according to AdImpact analysis. One advertisement featured Casey DeSantis alongside an official from the Florida Highway Patrol urging voters to reject the amendment.
Uthmeier did not respond to a request for comment regarding the financial transactions between the Hope Florida Foundation and the political committee he led.
Keep Florida Clean has since closed, but before its dissolution, it allocated over $1.2 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, another committee led by Uthmeier that DeSantis plans to use to support candidates in the 2026 election.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
Hope Florida has faced increased scrutiny regarding whether it improperly received state funds. Two organizations clarified to Hope Florida in correspondence that they did not allocate the received funds for political activities. However, these groups ended up providing financial support to the campaign opposing the pot amendment shortly after receiving funds from the Hope Florida Foundation.
Launched by the first lady, Hope Florida explored a collaboration with a Florida Chamber of Commerce initiative that assisted Gov. DeSantis in defeating Amendment 3. A review of state election records indicates that the same initiative from the Florida Chamber of Commerce contributed nearly $5 million to DeSantis' campaign in the fortnight leading up to the November election.
Despite the timing, letters from the foundation governing Hope Florida indicate that $5 million was allocated to the chamber’s Secure Florida’s Future initiative to promote Casey DeSantis’ program and facilitate future business partnerships.
A proposal letter sent to Hope Florida assured that the chamber-led initiative, which also played a role in opposing Amendment 3 in the previous election, would not utilize the $5 million grant for political or election-related activities.
Florida Chamber President Mark Wilson stated that the funds would target a long-term recruitment strategy for business partners and a public awareness campaign.
“By utilizing our network of robust communications and outreach channels serving our hundreds of thousands of employer- and business organization-members representing every industry, sector and region of Florida,” Wilson explained in the letter.
The Hope Florida board allocated another $5 million to Save Our Society from Drugs, a St. Petersburg-based organization focused on preventing drug use and enhancing access to recovery programs.
“The importance of this work cannot be overstated,” Amy Ronshausen, executive director of Save Our Society from Drugs, noted in her letter. “Drug use continues to have a devastating impact on families, the workforce, and community health.”
Hope Florida, initiated by Casey DeSantis four years ago as a community welfare initiative, aims to lessen reliance on government-funded programs. This year, Gov. DeSantis requested the Legislature to formally establish Hope Florida in state law, prompting a financial review that has raised questions and concerns among state House leaders regarding taxpayer dollar usage.
Casey DeSantis is contemplating a gubernatorial run to succeed her term-limited husband. Gov. DeSantis has consistently praised the initiative and commended his wife's efforts in its development.
Last week, Florida’s House Health Care Budget Subcommittee spent considerable time questioning the state Agency for Health Care Administration about $10 million donated to Hope Florida as part of a settlement with the state’s largest Medicaid operator. This AHCA settlement was documented in the minutes from an Oct. 14 board meeting of the Hope Florida Foundation.
The board minutes also mention a “strategic partnership” between Hope Florida and Secure Florida’s Future, referring to it as a grant proposal developed by the “Department and Executive Administration” aimed at engaging with business and community partners to advance Hope Florida’s mission.
“Secure Florida’s Future is uniquely positioned to enhance awareness of Hope Florida’s efforts within the private sector using a data-driven approach,” the minutes stated.
Hope Florida, a nonprofit affiliated with the Florida Department of Children and Families, convinced a joint-legislative committee to approve a transfer of $20.7 million in unspent Covid federal housing assistance funds to Hope Florida.
This fund transfer received approval on Oct. 24 — around the same time the Hope Florida board discussed the partnership and grant proposal with the chamber’s anti-pot initiative. The board minutes also refer to memos created to document each cash disbursement approved by the panel. DCF was unable to provide these memos on Friday, but Tori Cuddy, an agency strategic initiatives manager, stated that the more than $20 million transfer involved unspent administrative funds from the housing assistance program owed to DCF. The funds did not go to the Hope Florida Foundation.
“The Department receives requests through Hope Florida for housing assistance and is using the remaining funds to address rental and/or utility assistance through Hope Florida, which is open to any Floridian,” Cuddy explained.
The Hope Florida Foundation board is chaired by Joshua Hay, who was asked by state House Health Care Budget Subcommittee Chair Alex Andrade to clarify the program's finances during a meeting on Wednesday. Andrade indicated during a Wednesday night podcast with former Rep. Matt Gaetz that he would issue subpoenas for financial records if Hay or other board members did not appear.
State House scrutiny of Hope Florida prompted DeSantis to criticize the chamber and House Speaker Daniel Perez for allegedly undermining other Republicans. Andrade has also faced backlash from DeSantis after accusing the administration of illegal activity by misusing state settlement funds that facilitated a $10 million donation to Hope Florida shortly before the November election.
The donation, made by the state’s largest Medicaid managed care operator, Centene, was part of a $67 million settlement concerning the operator’s pharmacy benefit manager. At a Thursday news conference, DeSantis characterized the $67 million deal as the best that state Agency for Health Care Administration staffers could negotiate with Centene, given the case's weakness.
However, Centene clarified in a statement provided to PMG that ACHA directed the settlement terms in conjunction with the state Attorney General's office.
The settlement agreement was executed on Sept. 27 by Chief Deputy Attorney General John Guard, then-AHCA Secretary Jason Weida, and Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky.
“The allocation of funds detailed in the settlement document was directed by the Agency for Health Care Administration and approved by the Florida Attorney General’s Office,” Centene's statement read. “Centene had no part in or knowledge of any decision by the Hope Florida Foundation regarding the subsequent use of any Foundation funds.”
The political committee established to oppose Amendment 3 was chaired by James Uthmeier, who also served as chief of staff for DeSantis and was appointed as Florida’s attorney general earlier this year.
Campaign records indicate that Keep Florida Clean received $4.85 million from Secure Florida’s Future, primarily in October after the Hope Florida Foundation granted the funds. Save Our Society from Drugs contributed $5.75 million as well, with a substantial portion arriving in late October.
Keep Florida Clean directed $11.5 million to the Republican Party of Florida in October, leading to over $16 million spent on television ads opposing Amendment 3, according to AdImpact analysis. One advertisement featured Casey DeSantis alongside an official from the Florida Highway Patrol urging voters to reject the amendment.
Uthmeier did not respond to a request for comment regarding the financial transactions between the Hope Florida Foundation and the political committee he led.
Keep Florida Clean has since closed, but before its dissolution, it allocated over $1.2 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, another committee led by Uthmeier that DeSantis plans to use to support candidates in the 2026 election.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
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