American Oversight Settles Lawsuit with Gov. DeSantis Amid Scrutiny Over Transparency and Hope Florida Fallout

On Tuesday, nonpartisan watchdog American Oversight announced a settlement in its lawsuit against the office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the administration’s failure to respond to public records requests in a timely and lawful manner.

Among the records released as part of American Oversight’s lawsuit were calendars and communications from figures central to the unfolding Hope Florida scandal, which has raised serious questions about how the governor’s office may have directed public resources to politically connected groups. The settlement marks a significant development in efforts to ensure public transparency around these and other potential abuses of power.

“This settlement is a win for transparency and accountability — and it comes at a time when the governor’s office deserves more scrutiny, not less,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “For years, Gov. DeSantis’ office stonewalled public access to records that belong to the people of Florida — records that shed additional light on the actions of DeSantis administration officials central to the growing Hope Florida scandal. We filed this lawsuit to force compliance with the law, and we’re already seeing changes that will make it harder for his administration to keep the public in the dark.”

American Oversight filed its lawsuit in February 2024, alleging the governor’s office had failed to respond to or produce records in response to 12 different public records requests. Since 2018, DeSantis’ office has repeatedly delayed responses to American Oversight’s requests, averaging a 160-day delay, with several requests going completely unfulfilled. The lawsuit sought the release of the withheld records and also a court order addressing the governor’s pattern of delay and lack of transparency.

In May 2024, American Oversight amended its complaint to include three additional public records requests and to strengthen allegations that DeSantis’ office engaged in a pattern, practice, or policy of unlawfully delaying responses. As part of its allegations, American Oversight identified a number of troubling practices that rendered Florida’s Office of Open Government’s processes needlessly opaque, including the omission of tracking numbers and staff names in acknowledgment emails to records requesters.  

Since American Oversight filed its lawsuit, DeSantis’ office has begun providing tracking numbers in its acknowledgment emails and signing staffers’ names to those emails. 

The records released through the litigation shine light on the DeSantis administration’s cozy relationship with lobbyists and its coordination with far-right activists like Christopher Rufo. They also include the communications of Larry Keefe, DeSantis’ senior adviser for public safety, and calendars for then-Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, now Florida attorney general.

The long-delayed release of these records is especially significant in light of the growing Hope Florida scandal, which has raised serious questions about political favoritism and public resources being steered to politically connected groups. Uthmeier has emerged as a central figure in the scandal, with reports indicating he and others in DeSantis’ office may have played a key role in directing millions of dollars to the DeSantis-backed charity.

Following the settlement, American Oversight dismissed its case against DeSantis’ office. The settlement is part of American Oversight’s broader investigation into how Florida is responding to, acquiescing to, and emulating attacks by the federal government on diversity, equity, and inclusion; immigrants’ rights; and reproductive rights. More information on our investigations in Florida is available here.