State Rep. Alex Andrade on DeSantis' comments about Hope Florida Foundation backlash

CBS News

25-05-2025

Hope Florida Foundation
There is now a criminal investigation into Gov.Ron DeSantis' decision to divert $10 million from a Medicaid settlement to the Hope Florida Foundation, money that eventually ended up in a political action committee he controlled.
Republican State Representative Alex Andrade has been the driving force behind the weeks of hearings in the Florida House, the findings of which he turned over to both the U.S. Justice Department and the Leon County State Attorney.
DeSantis denies his administration did anything wrong, defended his wife's work with Hope Florida and blasted Andrade during a news conference this week.
Jim talks to State Rep. Andrade about that, and he talks to former Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Aronberg, about what's next.
Guests: State Rep. Alex Andrade/R- District 2
Dave Aronberg/Fmr. Palm Beach State Attorney
About this issue
Prosecutors have opened an investigation related to the Hope Florida Foundation, the nonprofit behind the welfare program that has been touted as the signature achievement of first lady Casey DeSantis.
A public records custodian in the office of Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell confirmed the existence of "an open, on-going investigation" Tuesday in response to a records request from The Associated Press. The investigation was first reported by the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times.
Questioned by reporters at an event Tuesday in Tampa highlighting the work of Hope Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the initiative, which uses state employees to help connect Floridians in need with faith institutions and community-based nonprofits and wean them off government assistance.
"I believe in this program deeply and I stand by it 100%," DeSantis said.
"This is a rewiring of the way that government operates," the first lady said.