Miami, FL - Following CBS Miami’s report from Jim DeFede examining the cost of Alligator Alcatraz and the unanswered questions surrounding the Hope Florida scandal, Democratic nominee for Attorney General José Javier Rodríguez issued the following statement:
“James Uthmeier is the most corrupt Attorney General Florida has ever had, and Floridians are paying the price. While families are struggling with rising costs, more than a billion taxpayer dollars were wasted on cruel political stunts like the so-called Alligator Alcatraz instead of going toward public safety, hurricane preparedness, or lowering costs.
“No one should be above the law. As Attorney General, I will restore accountability to the office and make sure Floridians have a People’s Lawyer who follows the facts wherever they lead and protects the public interest, not political insiders or special interests.”
According to CBS Miami’s report, the total cost of Alligator Alcatraz is now estimated to be $1.2 billion — about $3,571 per detainee per day, more than 20 times the estimated national average of $165. The report also highlighted the Hope Florida scandal, including the diversion of $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds into the Hope Florida Foundation, money that ultimately ended up in a political action committee controlled by James Uthmeier. In a recent editorial, the Sun Sentinel described the Hope Florida scandal as “the most serious cloud hovering over him.”
Jose Javier Rodríguez has made restoring integrity to the Attorney General’s office a central focus of his campaign, pledging to return the office to its core mission of protecting Floridians by fighting costs, crime, and corruption.
