The Hope Florida scandal smells. Thank journalists for sniffing it out | Column

ThebombshellreportscomingfromtheTimes/HeraldTallahasseebureauareshakingourstate’spoliticalground.Ifyou’rejustcatchingup,aMedicaidcontractormadea$10millioncharitabledonationaspartofanoverbillingsettlement.Thecontractorovercharged,gotcaughtandhadtofindasuitableorganizationtogivethemoneybacktothepeople. RedCross?UnitedWay?Moffitt?Nah.Let’sput$10millioninCaseyDeSantis’hands. TheHopeFloridaFoundation,anonprofitstartedbytheSunshineState’sfirstlady,aimedto“helpFloridiansgetoffgovernmentassistance”(inagoodway,right?).WhatcouldgowrongwithacharitydirectedbythemostpowerfulfamilyinFloridapolitics?Afterall,theirnoblecausehasfundingfromenergycompanies,lobbyistsandgovernmentcontractors.Noconflictsofinterestthere. Theopticsofhaving$10millionofpublicmoneyflowthroughacharityoverseenbythegovernor’swifedidn’tlookgood.Therealproblem,though,waswherethemoneywentnext. Aftersplittingthe$10millionbetweentwo“dark-money�