Orlando, Fla. (AP) – The Florida Children’s Welfare Agency sent a letter to the Florida newspaper, which told him to “break and take off” their custody families for the story of a non -profit organization related to the wife of Ron Desanto, a Government.
Orlando Sentinel received a letter from the State Department of Children and Family, which is appointed by the Governor’s Governor on Friday. The letter states that the Talhassee newspaper reporter used threats to force custody families to make negative statements about the Hope Florida Foundation when he contacted them for a well -being non -profit organizations for Casey Desntis, the first lady’s signature.
“Carry out and interrupt the intimidation of these families described above,” the DCF letter said.
Orlando Sentinel executive editor Roger Simmons said the agency described the reporter’s behavior “completely falsely”. According to The Sentinel, the story released once again dealt with the organizations, families and individuals distributed by Hope Florida.
“We are standing at our stories and rejecting the state’s attempt to cool the free language and invade our first amendment so that we can report on an important matter,” said Simmons by email. In the letter.
DCF on Monday did not provide a direct response to the letter. DCF announced a letter from a ceasefire on Friday in social media, saying that Hope Florida supported care families to donate their home after last year’s hurricane.
The letter attempts to intimidate Sentinel from the publication of what may be unpleasant news about Hope Florida, called pre -restraint, and pre -restraint efforts are usually unconstitutional, said Clay Calvert, a professor of law at the University of Florida and a senior collaborator at the American Enterprise Institute.
If he was a Sentinel lawyer, Calvert said, he would tell the agency to go to the sand.
“DCF can send all the desired letters of the ceasefire and desist, but Sentinel does not have to follow any of them,” he said. “It really tries to silence any negative coverage before it appears.”
Talahasio prosecutors opened an investigation into the Hope Florida Foundation. The custodian of the public records confirmed at Jack Campbell’s office of the second judicial state lawyer that the “Open, ongoing investigation” existed last month to respond to the Associated Press Record. The investigation was first reported by Miami Herald/becoming Bay Times.
Republican state lawmakers, located in the “Destantis” party, checked hope in Florida and its non -profit fund, which gave $ 10 million from the state Medicaid agreement to two non -profit organizations. Those groups, in turn, gave millions to the political committee, chaired by the then chief chief of the designer staff who camped out against a failed referendum on recreational marijuana.
April Alex Andrade, a spokesman for the Republican state, completed the investigation he led to Hope Florida, saying that the rest of the investigation would leave the FBI and the Department of Justice, although there is no public evidence that it is doing so. Andrade stated that the flow of funds from the fund for non -profit organizations and political committees means “a conspiracy to commit money to laundering and wires.”
The governor rejected Hope Florida’s study as a politically motivated smear against his wife, whom he fluttered as a potential heir when he distinguishes between 2026.
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Follow Mike Schneider on the Bluesky social platform: @Mikeysid.bsky.social.