JACKOSNVILLE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday morning continued to defend the Hope Florida initiative and his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, amid growing criticism and scrutiny involving a $10 million donation.
The donation, linked to a major Medicaid managed-care plan, has raised questions about the program’s funding and transparency.
Launched by Casey DeSantis in 2021, Hope Florida operates across multiple state agencies and is designed to “foster community collaboration between the public and private sector, faith-based communities, and nonprofits, to break down traditional community silos,” according to its website.
Hope Florida received a $10 million donation from Centene, the state’s largest Medicaid managed care operator, a contribution that was part of a $67 million out-of-court settlement concerning Centene’s pharmacy benefit manager.
The settlement, finalized in September 2024, required Centene to transfer the $10 million directly to the Hope Florida Foundation within seven days, with the obligation fulfilled upon deposit.
And according to reports from Politico and Tampa Bay Times, the Hope Florida Foundation later sent $5 million each to two organizations that waged an anti-marijuana campaign championed by the governor ahead of Amendment 3 voting.
State law mandates that money from the settlement be put in a trust fund or a general fund under legislative oversight.
“When you do settlements, you can try to get as much money as you can, but this was in addition to what they were getting. This is kind of like a cherry on top where they agreed to make an additional contribution, and so we were served well by what ACHA did,” DeSantis said at a news conference last week.
Republican lawmakers have voiced concerns that taxpayer funds may have been used to prop up the first lady’s key initiative, which could boost her resume in a potential campaign for governor in 2026. The current governor is in his second term and is term-limited.
Questions about the Hope Florida program intensified during a recent House Health Care Budget Subcommittee meeting, when Chairman Alex Andrade, clashed with members of DeSantis’ administration over the donation.
A legislative analysis revealed difficulties in obtaining financial information about its operations.
As more details emerge, a Special Master might need to be appointed to investigate the DeSantis administration’s handling of the program, as current Attorney General and former Chief of Staff James Uthmeier might be conflicted in the proceedings.
On Monday, DeSantis highlighted the program’s impact, noting that it has successfully helped 30,000 Floridians move off government assistance and saved the state $100 million in the process.
He framed Hope Florida as a model of government effectively lifting people out of poverty.
He explained that the program fosters collaboration among state agencies, local charities, businesses, and volunteers. The goal is to connect individuals with resources that promote lasting independence rather than keeping them on government programs indefinitely.
DeSantis attributed criticism about Casey DeSantis to individuals with political agendas and claimed these attacks were part of a broader effort to undermine the program’s success.
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“I think it’s really sad to see manufactured smears against the First Lady and the program that’s Hope Florida,” DeSantis said.
He pointed out that the program has operated without seeking additional funds or policy changes from the legislature and called the settlement “100% appropriate.”
House Speaker Daniel Perez last week defended lawmakers’ questions about the donation, saying they mostly want to know how the money was received, where it went, how it was used and why.
For weeks, DeSantis has asked lawmakers to pass legislation to create a Hope Florida Office under the governor’s oversight, expand the program’s reach and require state agencies to participate.
An analysis by House legislative staff released last week delved deeper into the program’s charity arm, noting that the Hope Florida Foundation appears to be out of compliance with multiple state laws.
According to the findings, the foundation has failed to submit an annual audit to the state’s auditor general and hasn’t published legally required information, including a brief description of its mission, a three-year financial plan, its code of ethics and its tax forms. Hope Florida did not provide required documents when asked to do so by House staff, according to the analysis discussed last week.
Casey DeSantis was not listed as an officer of the nonprofit, according to state records. Website records from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, where nonprofits are required to report financial information, did not include any documents from the Hope Florida Foundation.
