Documents obtained by journalists and state investigators show that the original settlement amount matched precisely with earlier findings that Centene had overcharged the Medicaid program. Despite this, state officials, under DeSantis’ administration, channeled $10 million of the recovered funds to the Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit run by the First Lady and intended to help reduce reliance on government welfare programs.

From there, the $10 million was distributed to two nonprofits not legally required to disclose their spending. These organizations later funneled $8.5 million into a political committee controlled by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, DeSantis’ then-chief of staff, which campaigned against a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. Critics, including Republican Rep. Alex Andrade, allege that this diversion of Medicaid funds may have been politically motivated and potentially illegal.

If politicians spent half as much time and effort into working for their constituents as they do to steal money for themselves, America wouldn’t be the shithole it’s become.