Politics · United States · 19 hrs ago
Florida court leaves Hope Florida political ad unblocked
A Florida appeals court refused to block TV stations from airing a political ad about the Hope Florida controversy.
The Florida Republican Party then withdrew its lawsuit against stations in Orlando and Tampa Bay, which had argued that broadcasting the report’s substance could be a crime.
The ad cites a grand jury report that said $10 million from a Medicaid settlement was misappropriated and used to support political activity.
The money went through the Hope Florida Foundation and was later traced to a political action committee that opposed a marijuana ballot measure.
The appeals court ordered the report erased and said the money was not public, while state attorneys warned stations of possible prosecution for airing the ad.
A government accountability group has asked the appeals court to reconsider its ruling and hold a hearing before all its judges.
A Florida court left a political ad about the Hope Florida controversy unblocked after rejecting a request to stop TV stations from airing it.
The Florida Republican Party later dropped its lawsuit against News 6 and other stations over the ad.
The ad, paid for by the Florida Democratic Party, cited a leaked grand jury report that said $10 million from a Medicaid settlement had been misappropriated.
An appeals court had ordered the report expunged, saying it should not have been released and concluding the money was not public.
State attorneys also warned TV stations that broadcasting the report’s contents could lead to criminal prosecution.
- Who
- The Florida Republican Party and Attorney General James Uthmeier sought to stop the ad; the Florida Democratic Party paid for it.
- What
- Courts did not block the political ad, and the Republican Party later dropped its lawsuit against TV stations.
- When
- The lawsuit was filed late Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, and was dropped by Oct. 21. CBS News reported the appeals court’s refusal to block the ad on Oct. 25.
- Where
- Florida, including television stations in Orlando and Tampa Bay.
- Why
- The ad cited a leaked grand jury report about the Hope Florida controversy. The Republican Party argued that broadcasting the report’s content, gist or import could violate Florida law.
Florida Republican Party and state officials
Florida Democratic Party and TV stations
Legality of broadcasting the report
Florida Republican Party and state officials
The Republican Party argued that knowingly broadcasting the report’s content, gist or import could violate Florida law. State attorneys warned stations of possible criminal prosecution.
Florida Democratic Party and TV stations
The Florida Democratic Party aired an ad citing the report, and TV stations faced legal efforts to stop its broadcast.
Blocking the ad
Florida Republican Party and state officials
Uthmeier and the Republican Party sought court orders to block the ad.
Florida Democratic Party and TV stations
The appeals court refused Uthmeier’s request for an injunction, and a judge initially refused the Republican Party’s request.
The state settled with Medicaid contractor Centene, and $10 million from the settlement went to the Hope Florida Foundation.
A Republican-led Florida House investigation traced the money to political committees that opposed the 2024 marijuana ballot measure.
CBS News Miami published the sealed grand jury report.
The Republican Party of Florida filed a lawsuit seeking to stop stations from airing the ad.
The Republican Party of Florida dropped its lawsuit against News 6 and other stations.
CBS News reported that the appeals court had refused Uthmeier’s request to block the ad.
- Ad length
- 30 seconds
- Settlement money
- $10 million
- Hope Florida Foundation transfers
- $5 million each to Secure Florida's Future and Save Our Society From Drugs
- Target of ad
- Attorney General James Uthmeier
- Lawsuit status
- Dropped by the Republican Party of Florida by Oct. 21, 2026
2 sources
What people are saying
I couldn't believe that they would be so heavy-handed and so ham-fisted as to try a block, a political ad,
What are they afraid of?