Jacob Ogles
The Hope Florida Foundation’s attorney said he likely won’t attend a high-profile House committee hearing. But Rep. Alex Andrade said that may delay his testimony for a day.
Attorney Jeff Aaron told the Orlando Sentinel he could attend on a Wednesday or Friday, but could not go this Thursday. He also stressed health issues within his family.
That’s the day the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee plans to question Amy Ronshausen, executive director of the Drug Free America Foundation, about money received from the Hope Florida Foundation. Lawmakers also want to ask Aaron about that.
“Rest assured that I am willing to testify,” Aaron wrote in an email to the House.
Andrade requested that time be allowed for an additional meeting on Friday to question only Aaron, and he said many statements already made public by the attorney appear to show conflicting direction and advice passed among the involved parties. Namely, the Committee has testimony that Aaron believed grants could be awarded to agencies without Board approval. Still, it advised that the Drug Free America Foundation must request grants from the Board.
Andrade said an ongoing House investigation of the matter requires representatives to get testimony from Aaron.
“If he doesn’t show up, we have got to subpoena him or accommodate his schedule,” Andrade said. “I’ve already requested we have time on Friday for an extra special meeting just for him.”
The controversy around the grants has escalated tensions between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida House this year. Hope Florida has been an initiative driven by First Lady Casey DeSantis, who continues to mull a run for Governor, but the foundation has come under fire over the grants. After receiving $10 million from a Medicaid settlement, the Foundation awarded the money to two anti-drug foundations, which then donated it to a political committee that opposed last year’s marijuana decriminalization amendment.
James Uthmeier, then the Governor’s Chief of Staff, was Committee Chair. Since then, DeSantis appointed Uthmeier as Florida’s Attorney General; he has maintained there was no wrongdoing surrounding the transfer of money.
Andrade has yet to question Uthmeier, but said he continues to find new revelations about the management of Hope Florida each day. And he said it will not surprise him if federal prosecutors open an investigation into the redirection of funding.
“Our Attorney cannot with a straight face go after anyone for wire fraud or money laundering,” Andrade said.
