TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The welfare assistance program Hope Florida, spearheaded by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis, is under intense scrutiny following questions from lawmakers over the handling of a $10 million settlement.
The inquiry centers on whether the funds, part of an October 2024 out-of-court agreement between Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and the managed-care company Centene, were inappropriately funneled into Hope Florida's nonprofit arm instead of the state's coffers.
WATCH BELOW: Why Casey DeSantis' Hope Florida program is facing intense scrutiny
During a tense hearing on Wednesday, State Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, and his budget subcommittee members demanded clarity on the situation, questioning the justification for moving the settlement funds into a nonprofit organization, not a state bank account.
"That is a fair question that I don't think we've gotten a response to," Andrade said during the meeting.
"I think we've answered," AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris responded.
"You haven't," Andrade retorted.
The exchange set the tone for what would become a heated, hours-long investigation.
The $10 million settlement with Centene stemmed from the company's failure to pass drug rebate savings to Florida and other states.
Despite the deal involving state money, Harris insisted the returned funds weren't taxpayer dollars.
She argued the donation to Hope Florida was valid since it was made in a pre-lawsuit agreement, exempt from legislative notification and oversight. The secretary further stated that Hope Florida would use the dollars to help Floridians become more self-sufficient.
Andrade remained unsatisfied.
"AHCA can't tell me why that was justified," he said. "That was a policy decision made by AHCA that I believe was illegal. What I'm hearing from the secretary of AHCA is (that) we have no idea what that money was to be used for. We have no idea why we did it. That's not acceptable, secretary."
Hope Florida was first championed by Casey DeSantis in 2021. She helped establish the program to assist Floridians in need, connecting them with nonprofits, churches and other groups and transitioning off state welfare dependency to self-sufficiency. To date, the program says it's served "over 100,000 Floridians." More than 25,500 Hope Florida participants have reduced or eliminated reliance on public assistance to meet food or cash needs.
But now, questions about the program's financial management are threatening to overshadow its intended mission. Harris defended the program's integrity during Wednesday's hearing.
"Mr. Chair, I think it's unfortunate that we are succumbing to some of these unfortunate attacks," she said at one point during the hearing. "The program and model have been supportive of meeting the needs of individuals, Floridians in your district, all throughout the state, who need help. That is what Hope Florida is about at its core."
As the subcommittee entered its final moments, the governor's communications team quickly rallied to Hope Florida's defense, suggesting House Republicans were using the issue as a political weapon. In an online post, Bryan Griffin, the communications director for Gov. Ron DeSantis, dismissed the questioning as "performative stunts" and accused House Republicans of undermining a program designed to help Floridians.
In comments last week, Gov. DeSantis also weighed in on the controversy, suggesting that questions from journalists about Hope Florida's tax documents were part of an ongoing rivalry between his office and House Speaker Danny Perez, a fellow Republican.
"We're not going to let you try to smear a good program with this stuff on these things," Gov. DeSantis said. "I know the House is feeding you guys stuff. We weren't born yesterday. We understand what they're trying to do."
Meanwhile, Florida Democrats have seized on the controversy, with state party Chair Nikki Fried calling the situation a "corruption scandal" and seeking a bipartisan investigation into both the Hope Florida Foundation and the DeSantis administration's handling of state funds.
"The corruption coming out of the DeSantis administration should enrage Florida taxpayers of both parties," Fried said. "I strongly urge the Florida Legislature to conduct a bipartisan investigation into both the Hope Florida Foundation and Ron's continued misuse of the Executive Office of the Governor."
When asked if he would continue probing Hope Florida and state officials, Andrade seemed open to the idea, including the use of subpoenas if needed.
"If we can't get information about how this $10 million was spent, or why on earth AHCA felt justified in sending this $10 million to DCF's direct support organization, I think at some point the subpoena would be valid," Andrade said.
In response to the heated session, AHCA issued a statement calling the hearing "performative" and accused Andrade of misconstruing the Hope Florida program. Harris later took to social media and in a video, labeling the meeting an "ambush" and dismissing the inquiry as an attempt to smear the Hope Florida program.
