On September 10, 2024, state health officials planned to brief Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office on a lucrative deal that had been three years in the making. The topic: a $67 million Medicaid settlement that could soon come Florida’s way, newly released records show.

The day after that scheduled meeting, the health agency’s top lawyer shared a new draft of the agreement — one that set off a political firestorm months later in Tallahassee.

The settlement would still be for $67 million, but it would peel off millions for the Hope Florida Foundation, the charity arm of the initiative spearheaded by first lady Casey DeSantis, the documents reveal. Hope Florida ultimately got $10 million, which it funneled to two nonprofit organizations that in turn gave $8.5 million to a political committee controll

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