The White House has “indefinitely” paused the judicial nomination of former Florida Deputy Attorney General John Guard over a criminal probe.
Guard, who was Donald Trump’s pick to fill a vacancy on the bench in the Middle District of Florida, has been subpoenaed in a criminal inquiry tied to a charity linked to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The controversy focuses on $10 million in secret settlement money from a Medicaid provider, allegedly diverted to Hope Florida, a DeSantis-backed program started by his wife Casey, to help fund a DeSantis politcal drive, Axios reports.
While Guard signed the settlement, he had privately raised concerns about it and removed references to his office in drafts of the settlement passed among negotiators, as reported by the Miami Herald.
Last week, a grand jury in Tallahassee convened to determine whether Hope Florida funneled the $10 million through its foundation for political purposes—to defeat the recreational marijuana ballot.
The governor has opposed the campaign to legalize marijuana in Florida, the third-most populous state in the United States.
Guard’s nomination was suddenly halted after the investigation was announced. The nomination will be “indefinitely” paused according to a source familiar with the situation quoted by Axios.
“The White House doesn’t have any reason to really believe that John broke the law, but it doesn’t want a nasty confirmation fight about this until it all gets cleared up,” the source said.
The Daily Beast has contacted John Guard and the White House for comment.
Guard was one of five Florida judges tapped by Trump in May, with the president posting on Truth Social at the time, “The role of a Judge has NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT than it is today, and John will make this Country proud.”
Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier also praised Guard’s service to Florida on X in May, saying, “John Guard has been a pillar in this office for more than 6 years. He has served with honor and dignity, and Florida has benefited greatly from his leadership.”
