James Uthmeier says 'Nobody cares' about Hope Florida's $10 million scam

Florida’s top cop says nobody cares about where $10 million in taxpayer money earmarked for the neediest went. Nobody cares that a grand jury report is being kept secret. Nobody cares — except, apparently, the “liberal media.”

That was the message last week from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who came to Miami Thursday and delivered what might go down as the most ridiculous line of the year (although maybe we should have a contest).

“I don’t think anybody cares about this topic any more than the liberal media,” Uthmeier said.

Oh, people care. And they care even more when the people in charge of enforcing the law start sounding like they’d rather nobody ask questions at all.

They especially care when the stolen money started as a Medicaid settlement — taxpayer dollars meant to help vulnerable Floridians — and somehow found its way into a charity connected to Casey DeSantis, then into a political operation tied to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s war against the medical marijuana amendment in 2024.

That’s not a clerical error. That’s a plot. And it’s so thick with conflict that a grand jury in Leon County already investigated the matter. There must be some kind of money trail. There should be testimony from people involved in the charity. The work appears to be done.

Normally, when a grand jury wraps an investigation like this, the public gets to read the findings — what happened, who did what, and what laws might need fixing to prevent it from happening again. That’s how transparency works.

But this time?

The report is still locked away. Sealed. Hidden.

And when asked directly whether he requested the judge keep it secret, Uthmeier didn’t deny it. He danced around it. Repeatedly.

That’s the kind of answer that raises more questions than it resolves.

Let’s bring everyone up to speed: The scandal centers on a $67 million Medicaid settlement with Centene Corporation. From that settlement, $10 million was quietly diverted into the Hope Florida Foundation, a charity linked to the governor’s wife. At the time the funds were moved, Uthmeier was serving as chief of staff to DeSantis.

Later, he became attorney general — Florida’s chief legal officer. Meanwhile, the money that flowed into the foundation didn’t stay there. It eventually wound up supporting political activity opposing the 2024 marijuana amendment — through a political committee controlled by Uthmeier.

Follow the money, and the trail leads straight into campaign territory.

Not charity work. Not public services. Backroom politics.

While Uthmeier dismisses the story as media obsession, government watchdogs are calling it something far more serious.

Michael Barfield, head of the Florida Center for Government Accountability, isn’t mincing words. He called the missing funds and secrecy surrounding the grand jury “The most consequential issue in Florida for decades.”

Decades. Not weeks. Not months. Decades.

That’s the kind of statement that should make any public official sweat — especially one about to face voters for the first time.

Uthmeier denies any wrongdoing and said that he has not been indicted or even named as a suspect. How nice for him. But saying “I haven’t been charged with anything,” shouldn’t be the standard voters expect from the state’s chief law enforcement officer.

The real question isn’t whether he’s been indicted. It’s whether the public gets to read what the grand jury found. And right now, the answer appears to be: Not if the AG can help it.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on November. This isn’t just a legal story anymore. It’s an election story.

Because Uthmeier will face voters for the very first time in November. Remember, he’s an appointee. And he will be up against former State Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez, who has won elections before.

And this is prime campaign material: Voters have a right to know whether their attorney general had a role in moving taxpayer money into politically useful channels.

Rodriguez didn’t hold back in his response.

He blasted Uthmeier’s response, noting that saying you’re not under indictment isn’t exactly reassuring when you’re supposed to be Florida’s top cop. Especially when you’re dodging questions about transparency.

The real problem isn’t just the money. It’s the secrecy.

Grand jury reports exist so the public can understand what went wrong — and how to prevent it from happening again. They’re not meant to disappear into a legal black hole.

Unless, of course, someone doesn’t want the public reading what’s inside. Like, his name, maybe. It would not be prudent before his first election.

So, to recap: Ten million taxpayer dollars were moved from a Medicaid settlement into a politically connected charity — headed by none other than the guv’s wifey. A grand jury investigated. The report is finished.

And now, as election season approaches, the public still can’t read what it says.

Meanwhile, the attorney general says nobody cares. We’ll see in November.

This kind of independent, government watchdog reporting is crucial to transparency and democracy. And more so every day. Help shine a light on the darker corners of our community with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

James Uthmeier says ‘Nobody cares’ about Hope Florida’s $10 million scam added by Ladra on April 13, 2026
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