Florida’s political landscape finds itself in the crosshairs of a growing scandal, as subpoenas land on the desks of top aides to Governor Ron DeSantis over the handling of $10 million in state Medicaid settlement funds. The money, originally intended to help Floridians climb out of poverty through the First Lady’s Hope Florida Foundation, instead found its way into the political trenches of last year’s battle over marijuana legalization. As the investigation heats up, the actions of key figures in the DeSantis administration are coming under intense scrutiny, with a grand jury set to convene in Tallahassee the week of October 13, 2025.
According to reporting from Florida Politics and the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee bureau, the subpoenas target former acting Attorney General John Guard and longtime staffer Kate Strickland—both closely linked to the inner workings of the Governor’s office. James Holton, the former chairman of the St. Petersburg-based nonprofit Save Our Society from Drugs, has also been called to testify, according to an associate of Holton.
These legal maneuvers come as Leon County prosecutors confirmed in May that there was an ongoing criminal investigation into the Hope Florida Foundation. The probe centers on a $10 million chunk of a much larger $67 million legal settlement that Centene, Florida’s largest Medicaid managed-care company, reached with the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration last fall. While the settlement was supposed to bolster the state’s safety net, it has instead become the focal point of allegations of political maneuvering and fiscal misdirection.
The money trail is complex but revealing. After Hope Florida received the $10 million, it distributed $5 million grants to two nonprofits: Secure Florida’s Future, which is tied to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and Save Our Society from Drugs. Within days, both groups made sizable contributions to Keep Florida Clean—a political committee led by then-DeSantis Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, who now serves as Florida’s Attorney General. Keep Florida Clean was the tip of the spear in fighting a proposed constitutional amendment in November 2024 that would have legalized recreational marijuana in the state, an initiative Governor DeSantis was openly opposed to and which was ultimately defeated.
The sequence of events has raised red flags for lawmakers and watchdogs alike. House Health Care Budget Chairman Alex Andrade, a Republican from Pensacola who led a subcommittee probe into Hope Florida, did not mince words: “Simply put, there’s no question that these were Medicaid funds steered by the Governor’s Chief of Staff through secret and clandestine actions to his own political committee.” Andrade added, “It’s readily apparent that a culture of neglect and competence and entitlement exists within the halls of the Governor’s Office.”
Andrade’s remarks were not offhand. He submitted records related to the Hope Florida Foundation’s receipt and disbursement of the $10 million to State Attorney Jack Campbell’s office, which triggered the current grand jury proceedings. Campbell’s office has been tight-lipped, declining to comment on the specifics of the investigation when approached by The News Service of Florida. However, the office confirmed months earlier that it was in possession of records tied to the House’s probe and that an “open” investigation was underway.
For their part, Governor DeSantis, First Lady Casey DeSantis, and James Uthmeier have stood firmly by their decisions. They argue that the state has a right—if not a responsibility—to counter ballot initiatives they believe could harm Floridians. Uthmeier, defending the controversial transfer of funds, said in May, “Government officials certainly have a right, maybe even a duty, to protect the state against things like this that will change our laws and potentially harm us.”
The Hope Florida Foundation, led by Casey DeSantis, is no ordinary charity. It operates through numerous state agencies and, at least on paper, serves as a referral service connecting families in need with churches and private organizations that can offer assistance. The program has been a signature initiative for the First Lady, who has touted its ability to leverage community resources to help Floridians escape poverty. Supporters point to the program’s broad reach and its collaborative approach as evidence of its positive impact.
Yet, critics argue that the foundation’s noble mission was overshadowed by political machinations. The fact that Medicaid settlement money—public funds earmarked for health care and social services—was rerouted through a charitable vehicle and then into the coffers of a political committee has fueled accusations of impropriety. The timeline of transactions, with grants flowing rapidly from Hope Florida to advocacy groups and then to Keep Florida Clean, has only deepened suspicions that the charity was used as a conduit for political spending.
The controversy comes at a time when Florida’s political climate is already charged. The defeat of the marijuana legalization amendment in 2024 was a major victory for conservative interests in the state, but the means by which it was achieved are now under the microscope. The grand jury’s work in the coming weeks is expected to shed light on whether any laws were broken or ethical lines crossed in the process.
For many Floridians, the unfolding scandal raises larger questions about the intersection of public policy, charitable work, and political influence. How should settlement funds be allocated? Who decides what constitutes a legitimate use of public money? And what safeguards exist to prevent the blurring of lines between government, charity, and electoral politics?
While the Governor and his allies maintain that their actions were above board, the investigation has already cast a shadow over the administration’s reputation for transparency and accountability. The upcoming grand jury proceedings could have significant implications not only for those directly involved but also for the broader debate over the role of money in Florida’s political process.
As the state awaits the grand jury’s findings, the Hope Florida Foundation’s future—and its legacy—hangs in the balance. The answers that emerge from Tallahassee in the coming weeks may well determine whether the program can continue to serve as a beacon for Floridians in need or becomes a cautionary tale about the perils of mixing charity and politics.
