Florida lawmakers are demanding resignations, legislative reforms, and greater transparency after a leaked grand jury report concluded that Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration "misappropriated" $10 million in taxpayer money and routed it through the Hope Florida Foundation for political purposes.
The report, obtained by CBS News Miami, found that the money originated in a $67 million settlement with Centene Corp., a health care company accused of overbilling Florida programs that insure low-income children. State officials directed $10 million of the settlement to the Hope Florida Foundation, the nonprofit connected to an assistance initiative championed by First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Within 25 days, the foundation distributed the entire amount through two $5 million grants. Most of the money was subsequently transferred to political committees and the Republican Party of Florida, where it was used to oppose a 2024 ballot initiative that would have legalized recreational marijuana.
The grand jury described the transactions as "part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities" but said it lacked sufficient evidence to charge any individual with a crime.
"Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally," the report said, according to CBS News Miami.
The absence of criminal charges did little to quiet the political backlash.
Florida Sen. Tracie Davis, a Jacksonville Democrat expected to become the Senate Democratic leader after the November elections, called the findings "an egregious abuse of power."
"The report asked the legislature to make sure that our laws are strong enough to prevent corruption and ensure transparency of public funds," Davis said. "To that end, I plan to file legislation in the upcoming legislative session to prevent this type of outrageous abuse from ever happening again."
The grand jury recommended requiring all money received by the state to be deposited in Florida's General Revenue Fund. It also called for clearer restrictions, tracking requirements and penalties governing the use of taxpayer money by organizations such as the Hope Florida Foundation.
State Rep. Angie Nixon, the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in November, went further and called on Moody to resign. She also promised an investigation if elected governor.
Ashley Moody redirected $10 million in taxpayer funds meant for sick children for her own gain. She must resign. pic.twitter.com/aGFQJOYVJ0
— State Rep. Angie Nixon (@AngieNixon) August 27, 2026
Moody was Florida's attorney general when the Centene settlement was finalized. According to the report, she knew about the plan to send $10 million to Hope Florida and authorized her chief deputy, John Guard, to sign the agreement.
"None of this is leadership. None of this shows good judgment. None of this shows courage," Nixon said in a statement. "She has broken the public trust, and she must resign immediately."
DeSantis' office, meanwhile, attacked the disclosure of the report rather than its conclusions. Communications director Alex Lanfranconi called the CBS report a "baseless smear" that had been "debunked over and over again."
"In fact, if any confidential grand jury report was leaked to the press, that's the only crime committed here," Lanfranconi wrote on X, according to WUWF and the News Service of Florida.
DeSantis, questioned hours before the report became public, said he had not participated in negotiating the settlement but supported the outcome.
"I wasn't involved in the settlement agreement, but I'm very happy with how everything was done," DeSantis said. He again dismissed the controversy as a "hoax."
The report identified Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, DeSantis' chief of staff at the time of the transactions, as a central figure. It said Uthmeier was "in a position of authority" over officials involved in the settlement and helped direct the money after it reached Hope Florida.
Uthmeier chaired Keep Florida Clean, the political committee that received $8.5 million from two nonprofits funded by Hope Florida. The committee then transferred $7 million to the Republican Party of Florida and another $1.23 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, which Uthmeier also chaired.
His office did not directly address the report's findings, instead emphasizing that grand jury proceedings are confidential and unauthorized disclosure may constitute a crime. Uthmeier previously called the investigation a "big nothingburger" and said he was never a suspect or target.
Republican state Rep. Alex Andrade, who launched the original legislative inquiry into the transactions, declined to comment immediately after the report emerged. Andrade previously accused Uthmeier and Hope Florida attorney Jeff Aaron of potential money laundering and wire fraud, accusations both men denied.
The leaked report ultimately reached a more limited legal conclusion. It found that taxpayer money had been improperly used but said prosecutors could not establish who initially decided to divert it because witnesses denied responsibility or claimed they could not remember.
"While we can't prove who is responsible, we can plainly see that taxpayer money was misused for political purposes," the grand jury concluded.
