DeSantis says there is 'no basis' for investigating Hope Florida

[Zorro]

He also lashed out at the Republican lawmaker who spurred the probe.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday there was “no basis” for local prosecutors to open an investigation related to the state’s Hope Florida Foundation and called the Republican lawmaker who provided documents to the state attorney’s office a “jackass.”

In his most substantive remarks since the Times/Herald broke the news Tuesday that Leon County prosecutors had an open criminal investigation into the state-run charity overseen by his administration, DeSantis said he was more committed to Hope Florida than ever.

He lashed out in particular at Rep. Alex Andrade, the Pensacola Republican who led a House committee probe into Hope Florida and its charity arm, the Hope Florida Foundation. The program and the charity were envisioned by first lady Casey DeSantis to move Floridians off state welfare by connecting them to churches and nonprofits that can offer them help.

Last month, Andrade turned over records to the Department of Justice and the 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s office, a decision DeSantis said was “political.”

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/05/21/desantis-hope-investigation-casey-campbell-medicaid-uthmeier/

DeSantis is up to his greasy neck in this very real scandal -- directing federal funds to be misused for his personal political purposes.