Overview

• Florida's $67 million Medicaid settlement with Centene included a $10 million payment directed to the Hope Florida Foundation, which is tied to First Lady Casey DeSantis.
• Newly surfaced draft documents suggest the $10 million donation was part of the settlement, contradicting Gov. DeSantis's assertion that it was a voluntary contribution from Centene.
• Florida House Republicans have launched an investigation into whether the transfer violated state laws requiring settlement funds to return to state coffers.
• The $10 million was funneled through nonprofits with limited reporting obligations, with $8.5 million later supporting campaigns opposing a marijuana legalization ballot measure.
• The controversy has deepened divisions within Florida's GOP, with legislative leaders questioning the legality and transparency of the deal as scrutiny on the DeSantis administration intensifies.