Politics
Florida Republicans ask court to halt campaign ad over Hope Florida findings
The Republican Party of Florida is seeking to stop a Democratic campaign ad that says a leaked grand jury report found $10 million was misappropriated through the Hope Florida Foundation. The dispute follows an appeals court decision that set aside the report’s finding, concluding the settlement money at issue had not become state funds.
The Republican Party of Florida has sued the state Democratic Party, three Democratic candidates and several television companies, asking a court to block a campaign ad that cites a leaked grand jury report on the Hope Florida Foundation.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in Highlands County’s 10th Judicial Circuit, argues that a recent appeals court decision expunging the report means Florida law bars broadcasting its contents or substance. The 30-second ad says a leaked grand jury report found that $10 million was misappropriated.
The Republican Party’s complaint contends the ad violates a state law restricting the broadcast of grand jury testimony and repeats a conclusion the appeals court rejected. The suit names gubernatorial nominee David Jolly, attorney general nominee Jose Javier Rodriguez and chief financial officer nominee Annette Taddeo, along with television broadcasters and media companies.
Taddeo, who is challenging incumbent CFO Blaise Ingoglia, criticized the lawsuit, saying it seeks to take an ad off the air before Republicans can respond. She called for transparency and accountability over the Hope Florida matter.
The ad was paid for by the Florida Democratic Party on behalf of the three candidates. The grand jury report, completed in January and later leaked, examined the movement of $10 million connected to a $67 million Medicaid settlement with Centene. The Hope Florida Foundation, the charitable arm of an initiative started by First Lady Casey DeSantis, received the money and transferred it to two nonprofits, which then sent funds to a political committee controlled by James Uthmeier, then Gov. Ron DeSantis’ chief of staff.
The report said the money was misappropriated but did not find sufficient evidence to indict anyone. Uthmeier, whom DeSantis later appointed attorney general, used the committee’s funds to oppose 2024 ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana and establish a constitutional right to abortion. Neither measure received the 60% support required to pass.
The First District Court of Appeal’s Oct. 7 opinion overturned the grand jury’s finding, reasoning that the settlement money did not become state funds because it went to the foundation rather than the state treasury. The lawsuit now challenges whether the ad can legally describe the report’s conclusions. The dispute puts the court between competing claims about the limits of grand jury secrecy and what political campaigns may say about a public controversy.