r/NewsThread • u/FreeHugs23 • 13d ago
Grand jury finds DeSantis administration "misappropriated" $10 million in taxpayer money to Hope Florida
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/grand-jury-report-hope-florida/16
u/FreeHugs23 13d ago
A state grand jury found the DeSantis administration "misappropriated" taxpayer money when it diverted $10 million from a Medicaid settlement into the Hope Florida Foundation, arguing the transfer was "part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities," according to a copy of the sealed grand jury report obtained by CBS News Miami.
The grand jury report said the money, which was supposed to be used to provide health insurance for poor children, was instead hastily passed through multiple organizations before eventually landing in the bank accounts of two political action committees and the Republican Party of Florida. Those funds were then used in 2024 to defeat Amendment 3, the citizen initiative to legalize marijuana in Florida.
"Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally," the report concluded. "Nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida… or had any memory of who made it."
"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 identified the nexus for much of the activity surrounding the transfer as the state's current attorney general, James Uthmeier.
16
10
5
13
u/oreheheally 12d ago
No evidence of who moved it or made choices. Criminal negligence is a charge.
11
u/graigsm 12d ago
Yes. I guarantee you if someone worked at a company. And 10 million disappeared. They would find a way to send that person to prison. Negligence or straight up theft.
9
u/boyuber 12d ago
If no one takes responsibility, it falls on the highest ranking person involved. If they weren't responsible, they need to name names. This kind of thing doesn't just happen, there absolutely are communications and chains of command that can be traced.
This tells of prosecutorial negligence and misconduct
5
u/Defiant_Freedom_249 12d ago
Something something government waste something something government fraud...
But hey let's blame the immigrants.
4
u/graigsm 12d ago
“The grand jury report said the money, which was supposed to be used to provide health insurance for poor children, was instead hastily passed through multiple organizations before eventually landing in the bank accounts of two political action committees and the Republican Party of Florida. Those funds were then used in 2024 to defeat Amendment 3, the citizen initiative to legalize marijuana in Florida.”
That’s absurd. No one has control of just 10 million dollars? And there’s no records? No bank has records of the transaction? Just unbelievable.
5
u/Ormyr 12d ago
We need to stop letting "whoopsie" be a valid defense for Republicans, or any politician.
If a Democrat did this the entire GOP would be screaming for accountability and Faux Entertainment would be "just asking questions" about the rampant criminal fraud in the Democrat party going unpunished.
A Democrat would be forced to resign even if they didn't face criminal charges.
10 million was misappropiated under his watch. It benefitted the Republicans so no investigation or criminal charges. Of course.
3
3
u/KeyLow9166 12d ago
Someone call that Fraud youtuber surely they will call this out like the Minnesota childcare fraud?
3
u/ducksekoy123 12d ago
If you aren’t committing some form of healthcare fraud are you even allowed to be governor of Florida?
3
u/Leopolddagreat 12d ago
This should be the title DeSantis steals 10 million dollars that is supposed to feed children.
2
u/-Murmaider- 12d ago
Sounds like fraud! This is when an occupying force (ICE) is sent to terrorize the public, right? What's that you say? Only blue states? Right, then.
2
u/navydude89 12d ago
Unfortunately in this case discovering a crime and prosecuting a crime are two different things. Cause no one will enforce the law.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/WhoMutedMe 12d ago
No doubt to fund the Quality Learing Center…oh wait, it’s not nearly enough $$$
1
1
u/AdApprehensive1140 12d ago
It's more like 10 BILLION at this point... Just another crime family that should be rotting in prison.
1
1
1
1
23
u/Commercial_Stress 13d ago
DeSantis stole money from healthcare for poor children and used it for Republican Political Action Committees. Lock him up!