Amidst assertions Hope Florida settlement payment was illegal, Gov. DeSantis responds
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Ron DeSantis is taking a new round of heat from members of both parties over a $10 million payment that went to the First Lady's "Hope Florida" project, with some lawmakers saying it was potentially illegal.
The money came from a settlement from a healthcare company, which was then used to help fight for the governor's political agenda.
"Shame on you in the Florida House and your terrible behavior and leadership," the governor said during a news conference Monday morning.
The governor is responding to tweets from the house Republican who led a committee hearing last week, Rep. Alex Andrade of Pensacola, who said, "This was theft of taxpayer money," and another asking if top DeSantis officials, and Casey DeSantis, had advance notice about the settlement.
Rep. Alex Andrade of Pensacola
The backstory:
In October, healthcare giant Centene agreed to pay $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation, the charity that supports the First Lady's Hope Florida program.
That was not disclosed to legislators, against state rules.
"That was a policy decision made by AHCA that I believe was illegal," said Andrade.
Since last week's hearings, Democrats point out it was revealed that the $10 million wound up in political action committees that fought against the recreational marijuana amendment, meaning that money the state won because a health care company overbilled Floridians for Medicaid, wound up being harnessed for the governor's political goals.
What they're saying:
"I think it's a crime because we're looking at dollars that should have gone to general revenue," said House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell. "They were diverted away from general revenue and, as best I can tell, it looks like these were used for political purposes."
The attorney general argued on Monday that because Hope Florida is designed to wean people off public assistance, that using it to fight drugs was worthwhile.
The governor insists 30,000 people have been weaned off public assistance by Hope Florida navigators stationed around the state.
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But lawmakers are furious that Hope Florida's operating documents are not available, neither where their funding comes from, nor the results it gets.
"Republican leadership in the Florida House joining with liberal media and joining with Democrats to launch baseless smears against Hope Florida and, by extension, myself and the First Lady," said DeSantis.
Amidst assertions that Hope Florida's settlement payment was illegal, Governor Ron DeSantis responded to the criticism.
The governor has called the settlement an example of state negotiators working hard for taxpayers.
House Democrats have called for a special master investigation.
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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Evan Axelbank.
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