FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the legality of a controversial $10 million donation during a Wednesday visit to Fort Pierce. He was there to announce grants for vocational training that included $4.9 million to Miami Dade College’s aircraft mechanics program.
Political foes have accused the DeSantis administration of allowing Medicaid dollars to be diverted to a foundation that then passed it down to committees campaigning against legalizing recreational marijuana.
Republican lawmakers are investigating the legality of the donation, as DeSantis faced opposition on an immigration bill and on Everglades restoration funds.
“They don’t want to do anything I want to do, so they’re basically trying to roll back everything we’ve done for the last six years,” said DeSantis, while he stood behind a “Florida’s Economy Leads the Nation” sign.
The controversial $10 million donation was possible after Florida was among over 20 states that filed civil lawsuits against Centene Corp., a for-profit healthcare company based in Missouri.
The lawsuits alleged that the state’s Medicaid programs had overpaid for prescription drugs since the company’s pharmacy benefit manager did not adjust prices to reflect manufacturers’ rebates.
Centene Corp. agreed to pay a $67 million cash settlement to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, the state’s chief health policy and planning entity, records show.
The settlement included a $10 million donation to The Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit organization linked to the state-run Hope Florida program.
First Lady Casey DeSantis has described Hope Florida, the state-run program, as an alternative to public welfare programs since it includes navigators who are trained to connect those in need to nonprofit resources.
“It shows that she’s actually made a difference. I know there’s people that are threatened by that,” DeSantis said referring to the controversy over the $10 million.
In a recent letter to state lawmakers, Andrew T. Sheeran, the general counsel for AHCA in Tallahassee, wrote that the law does not prohibit the state from negotiating a settlement that requires “actions other than paying money to the State.”
The questions come as the state’s first lady may decide to step up as a gubernatorial candidate in 2026 after President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds, who already announced his candidacy. Also, the governor may decide to run for president again in 2028.