Ron DeSantis tries on Donald Trump ‘lawfare’ defense in Hope Florida affair

In dealing with the most enduring scandal of his administration thus far, Ron DeSantis is taking a page from the man who defeated him in the 2024 presidential race.

“Gov. DeSantis and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis have been subject to politically motivated ‘lawfare’ in the state of Florida, and now the same lawfare is being perpetrated against President Trump and his nominees,” spokesperson Bryan Griffin told Fox News Digital.

It’s not entirely clear why the DeSantis administration felt the need to address this issue this week, but the article also includes a “senior administration official” dropping hints.

Among them: “The Hope Florida Foundation is a separate entity from the Hope Florida initiative that has been spearheaded by Casey DeSantis.”

Additionally, a senior official from DeSantis’ office also told Fox News Digital that there is “no official investigation being conducted by the Leon County State Attorney’s office, despite reports that a record custodian in the state attorney’s office referred to the matter as ‘an open, ongoing investigation.”

Whether an investigation is in play or not, the controversy has not done First Lady Casey DeSantis any favors as she looks at challenging Donald Trump-endorsed Byron Donalds in next year’s Republican Gubernatorial Primary.

As the Naples Congressman fundraises, Casey DeSantis has been biding her time, saying people are “tired of politics.” She also noted that it’s “more than a year from qualifying.”

The former newscaster has gone on the offensive against the criticisms while defending Hope Florida, presented as Casey DeSantis’ signature achievement during her husband’s tenure.

“It’s just really disheartening and very sad, but not surprising, to see these slanderous false accusations hurled at Hope Florida in an attempt … to undermine all of the meaningful progress that we’ve made on behalf of so many families across the state of Florida,” Casey DeSantis said this Spring.

At issue is a $10 million donation from Centene, Florida’s largest Medicaid contractor, stemming from a 2023 settlement with the state for $67 million as a result of overbilling. Centene wired $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation as part of that settlement.

That money, which Gov. Ron DeSantis called a “cherry on top,” was then sent out by the Foundation and split between Save Our Society from Drugs and Secure Florida’s Future.

Those groups then provided millions into the campaign to oppose a statewide amendment seeking to legalize recreational marijuana, something the Governor fiercely advocated against. The Governor’s then-Chief of Staff James Uthmeier chaired the anti-pot political committee, Keep Florida Clean, that advocated against Amendment 3 along with the Republican Party of Florida.

The Governor has said Casey didn’t get “one red cent” from the $10 million routed toward political advertising last year. However, since revelations emerged of the unorthodox scheme earlier this year, Casey DeSantis has garnered numerous unwelcome mentions in the media.

The unusual decision to address the ongoing controversy in a national outlet suggests Team DeSantis may be concerned about framing the imbroglio, invoking the well-worn axiom: “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.”