DeSantis’ Hope Florida scandal will probably never be prosecuted | Opinion

Suppressed scandal

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ minions and particularly Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier, have refused to testify before a legislative committee investigating the transfer of $10 million from a Medicaid settlement to the Hope Florida charity and then to a dark money entity.

Those Medicaid funds should have been returned to the taxpayers. Instead, they apparently went to Uthmeier’s and DeSantis’ political committee, which opposed the 2024 marijuana amendment.

State Rep. Alex Andrade, bravely leading the inquiry, has had to shut it down due to lack of cooperation from DeSantis’ toadies. He said that while the evidence is there for criminal prosecution of those involved, state investigators or the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) would have to handle it.

However, the DOJ is run by Pam Bondi, formerly Florida’s attorney general and Uthmeier is Florida’s attorney general.

Let’s remember that Bondi refused to charge Trump University with fraud, a charge prosecuted in many other states. Chances of the Hope Florida scandal being pursued by state or federal prosecutors are nil.

Norman S. Segall,

Coral Gables

No kings, please

A rather famous French king, Louis IV, when asked who was in charge, replied, “l’etat c’est moi.” Meaning, I am the state. Later on, after screwing things up to the point that the people revolted, he was beheaded during the French Revolution, which was inspired by the American one. Unlike the American Revolution, years of strife followed until another wanna-be emperor had to be removed. This was followed, finally, by an American-inspired democratic republic.

Now, some 249 years later, we are hearing similar statements from our highest elected leader. He ignores the premise that investing the power of governance in the citizenry, with governing offices occupied for limited terms of representation by the open vote of the people, has kept us strong and free. So far.

Rather then enduring decades of Napoleonic-style war and turmoil, we should stop listening to false and misleading memes. Instead, let’s resume listening to and compromising with each other, arriving at solutions to problems that accommodate us all.

Adherence to the Constitutional form of three co-equal branches of government — not autocracy — is the only way around the war and strife that history has recorded over several thousand years.

That can only happen if enough of us vote, not for a party nor a personality, but for rational, fact-based individual representatives, people like ourselves, not like those who preach power and control as the solution to all problems.

Next time there is a general election, go to your polling places as informed, rational, fair-minded individuals. Most revolutions are violent and destructive and often result in worse outcomes.

J. Trigg Adams,

Coconut Grove

Rubio’s duties

As a U.S. Senator, Marco Rubio continuously used his speaking opportunities to oppose communism and the dictators who have dominated Cuban, Central and South American politics for so many years. Now that he is Secretary of State, he has dramatically changed his tune.

Rubio sits quietly as President Donald Trump berates democratically elected officials who are standing up to dictators, to the point where Rubio walks away from negotiations, sending the message that the United States is no longer interested in world politics.

If that is the best Rubio can do, perhaps he should resign and let someone else do the job; perhaps someone who is interested in using the State Department’s influence to work international conflicts without war.

Didn’t Rubio read the description of his new job?

Noel Cleland,

Miami

Source of worry

Now is not the time to engage in debates about Democrats versus Republicans or liberals versus conservatives. Instead, we must concentrate on the critical issue of democracy versus autocracy.

Our nation is now experiencing significant turmoil. The separation of powers is at stake. Our president is systematically dismantling various government departments, elevating our nation to the status of a global adversary through arbitrary tariff increases. He is randomly deporting individuals without providing due process and offering forgiveness to those who have attempted to overthrow our democratic system.

Furthermore, he has, at times, seemingly defended our enemies, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

These pressing matters should be our foremost concern now.

Delia de Varona Garcia,

Miami

100 days

President Trump’s approval ratings for his first 100 days in office are the lowest for any president in the last 80 years. This should not be surprising. In the final months of his first term, Trump had the highest disapproval rating of any president at any time. With 2.9 million jobs lost, the worst since the Great Depression, nearly $9 trillion added to the national debt, and the sharpest decline in real GDP in 73 years, Trump lost his bid for re-election.

The American electorate, living up to its fickle nature, gave Trump a second chance, returning him to the White House four years later. Wasting no time, the president signed a series of ill-conceived executive orders which affected our fundamental freedoms, economic security and other issues. It may not be long before the broad expression of negative judgment morphs into buyer’s remorse.

Jim Paladino,

Tampa

Haiti debacle

Hardly a day goes by without a major Miami Herald article about Haiti’s daily bad to worse loss of security and personal safety. Personal and economic movement are a fraction of what is needed to maintain proper subsistence. Calls for the U.S. government to intercede and take action go unanswered. Local articles alone in the Herald are not enough.

As long as government officials and police are some of the cohorts loading the gangs with weapons from American arms dealers and their middlemen, the same beat will go on. Convincing our nation to use its technology to pick off the gang leaders or members is better than hoping for U.S. troop intervention. It might help to put more public pressure on Haiti’s leaders, police and the UN-backed Kenyan police forces. Name the names of those assisting the gangs for profit or sitting on their hands and not doing their job. Simply identifying the gang leaders has had a negative effect, as they welcome notoriety.

If Haiti wants to develop better outside attention, pictures of gang ruthlessness are worth a thousand words.

Michael G. Merhige,

Kendall

Treeless society

Re: the April 27 letter, “Withering trees.” Many of the one- or two-acre lots in Pinecrest, where the sugar cube-type houses are being built, there’s little to no land left after all the trees are cut down. After the house is built, there’s no room to replace the trees.

Mike Turkal,

Palmetto Bay

To excess

There are too many journalists and individuals who live their careers and lives in the shadow of President Trump. His oversaturation in the media is too much to bare.

When will Trump’s 15 minutes of fame be over?

David Myles,

Aventura

Affordable housing

Finding a place to live in Miami that’s actually affordable feels almost impossible now, especially for students, young people starting out and families. Rent prices keep going up, but regular paychecks aren’t rising with them. It’s forcing many people to move far from their schools, jobs and families, just to find a place they can kind of afford.

Miami is such a beautiful city and it’s growing fast, but it shouldn’t just be for the wealthy. We need leaders who are serious about affordable housing, protecting renters and making sure people can stay in the communities they love.

Everyone deserves a safe, stable home without having to spend almost all their money on rent. I really hope those in charge take this seriously. Otherwise, many good people will get pushed out and Miami’s future won’t be as it should.

Kimberly Lopez,

Kendall