Uthmeier sticks by his guns: Hope Florida transfers were ‘entirely legal, absolutely’

James Uthmeier delivers a speech after being sworn in as state attorney general on Feb. 17, 2025, in the Florida Historic Capitol. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix)Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier reiterated Monday that he considers the diversion of Medicaid funds through the Hope Florida Foundation to run political ads “entirely legal, absolutely.”

He said so in answer to a reporter’s question during an unrelated news conference in Carabelle, although a state grand jury concluded the DeSantis administration had “misappropriated” the money in “a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities.”

“I’ve answered these questions many times before. What I’ll tell you is, while I was not the attorney general at the time that this pre-suit settlement with a nonprofit was executed, every top lawyer, virtually, in the state approved it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it,” he said.

Uthmeier said it’s not unusual to steer state lawsuit recoveries through nonprofits, citing Triumph Florida, which administers the state’s share of settlement money from BP following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as an example.

“Protecting moms and families, and protecting kids from drug abuse, is very appropriate,” he added.

However, the Legislature created Triumph Florida through legislation signed by then-Gov. Rick Scott. Its board comprises the governor, attorney general, chief financial officer, and commissioner of agriculture.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis elevated Uthmeier to the AG’s office following the transfer by the Hope Florida Foundation — launched by Casey DeSantis, the state’s first lady — of $10 million from a $67 million Medicaid overbilling dispute with Centene, a medical managed-care company. At the time of the transfer, Uthmeier served as DeSantis’ chief of staff.

Now he’s running for election in his own right against Democrat José Javier Rodrídguez.

Rodriguez issued a written statement in response:

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“Stealing $10 million in taxpayer money meant for sick children and funneling it through nonprofits before using it in campaigns doesn’t become ‘entirely legal’ just because James Uthmeier name-checks the President. Floridians deserve answers about why Uthmeier has done nothing to return the $10 million to the Medicaid program or turn himself in,” he said.

The grand jury, sitting in Leon County, concluded the administration “misappropriated” the money, which passed through a number of outside organizations to a political committee connected to the administration, which spent it to oppose a 2024 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. However, the panel issued no indictments, citing insufficient evidence because none of the people involved would take responsibility.

The office of then-Attorney General Ashley Moody (subsequently appointed by the governor to fill Marco Rubio’s vacancy in the U.S. Senate) reviewed the deal. Chief Deputy AG John Guard raised objections to the terms because he worried about a political backlash if Moody’s office trod upon the Legislature’s prerogative to spend taxpayer money, according to the grand jury report.

The settlement was revised to render ACHA the receiving agency, instead of Moody’s office. She then authorized Guard to sign off. Guard assumed that agency already held authority to spend the extra money, or would seek the Legislature’s approval during its next session.

Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, led the legislative investigation into the matter. He described the transfer as “fraud” and used his position as the Health Care Budget Subcommittee chair to haul in agency heads, Hope Florida’s leadership, and the heads of the nonprofits to investigate the legality of the transactions.

Andrade declined to comment about Uthmeier’s latest remark, noting, “In less than a month, I won’t even be a state representative” and adding, “That story’s been talked to death.”