When legal marijuana was on the Florida ballot in 2024, Governor Ron DeSantis worked hard to make sure the measure wouldn’t pass. Turns out, he worked a little too hard, and took some taxpayer funds to use in his effort to get the ballot measure rejected.
$10 million was taken from a Medicaid settlement and redirected to Hope Florida Foundation, which then sent the money to two political action committees that worked to oppose the legislation. CBS News Miami was able to get their hands on a grand jury report that is still under seal.
They also found that the Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody, was aware of this plan to divert the $10 million.
DeSantis, for his part, labeled the CBS News Miami story as a hoax.
Ultimately, there will be no repercussions for this, according to the grand jury report.
“Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally. Nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida… or had any memory of who made it.”
A convenient forgetfulness wins the day.
Read the original story at CBS News Miami.
