FL Grand Jury: DeSantis Misused $10M   08/28 06:17

   

   (AP) -- A Florida grand jury found that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' 
administration "misappropriated" $10 million in taxpayer money it diverted to a 
charity connected to his wife, but it declined to file criminal charges due to 
a lack of evidence indicating who specifically was responsible.

   DeSantis on Thursday did not dispute the legitimacy of the secret grand jury 
report obtained and published online by CBS News Miami, but he insisted no laws 
were broken and said whoever leaked the sealed documents would face 
"consequences."

   The Leon County grand jury completed its report in January on investigations 
into Hope Florida, the charity started in 2021 by Florida first lady Casey 
DeSantis. Despite the lack of charges, the report ignited a new round of 
criticism aimed at DeSantis and other top state Republicans over the charity 
receiving $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement intended to help poor 
children get health insurance.

   David Jolly, the Democratic nominee for governor, called for the grand jury 
probe to be reopened. He faces Republican Byron Donalds in November. DeSantis, 
under Florida law, cannot seek a third term.

   The Hope Florida charity is supposed to help financially struggling families 
connect with churches and aid groups to help keep them off publicly-financed 
assistance programs. The $10 million was instead moved to political action 
committees that used the money to oppose a 2024 statewide ballot measure that 
would have legalized marijuana for adults in the state.

   DeSantis opposed the measure, and it fell just short of the 60% 
supermajority it needed to become law.

   "Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find 
insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally," the report concluded.

   The grand jury said no one would take responsibility for sending the money 
to the charity or had any memory of who did.

   "We recognize that this would be an impediment to criminal prosecution," the 
report noted. "While we can't prove who is responsible, we can plainly see that 
taxpayer money was misused for political purposes and we would like to see 
changes made to prevent this from happening again."

   The grand jury report concluded that James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis' chief 
of staff at the time, "was in a position of authority over those involved in 
settling," and that his Keep Florida Clean PAC was the prime recipient of the 
$10 million. The grand jury said then-state Attorney General Ashley Moody's 
office knew of the plans to divert the money. She was later appointed by 
DeSantis to the U.S. Senate.

   Uthmeier and Moody are both seeking reelection.

   In a news conference Thursday, Uthmeier suggested Democrats were behind the 
grand jury report leak and called renewed interest in its findings "a 
politically motivated hoax."

   In a post on X on Thursday, Moody said her office was only one of several 
agencies that signed off on the initial settlement, and "had no knowledge of 
how funds would be spent" by Hope Florida, state lawmakers or any other group.