Broward County Democrats just got caught using children's education money to fund their own political party.
Now Florida's state inspector general is investigating.
And the school board chair's explanation for why a district credit card paid for her ticket to an Obama fundraiser isn't convincing anyone.
The School Logo on a Partisan Fundraiser Ad
The Obama Roosevelt Legacy Dinner was a Broward County Democratic Party fundraiser held March 28.
Six sitting school board members had their headshots plastered across the promotional flier.
The official Broward County Public Schools logo appeared right alongside them – making it look like Florida's second-largest school district was endorsing a Democrat Party fundraiser.
Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas saw the ad and went straight to X.
"Official district branding must never be used to advance partisan efforts," he wrote.
https://twitter.com/StasiKamoutsas/status/2047662547235430587?s=20
Then he sent a formal letter to Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn calling the whole thing "wholly inappropriate and inexcusable."
That's when the story got worse.
The Credit Card Charge School Officials Had to Admit
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia confirmed that a Broward Schools employee used a district procurement card to pay for event entry and a gala booklet ad.
Translation: someone on the district payroll – on the clock, on district equipment – was coordinating advertising for a Democrat Party fundraiser.
Board Chair Sarah Leonardi put the details in writing herself.
Her executive secretary used a district P-Card to cover a $150 ticket and $83.33 for the ad.
Leonardi claims she never authorized it – her secretary made a mistake, charged the wrong card.
She says she paid the district back with a money order and surrendered her P-Card.
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2047698081500524640?s=20
But the CFO had already confirmed the ad purchase was "approved and coordinated by an employee at Broward Schools during school time."
The Inspector General Investigation Now Underway
Commissioner Kamoutsas announced Friday that the state's Office of Inspector General has formally opened an investigation.
Inspector General Mike Blackburn is now leading the inquiry.
This is not a slap on the wrist.
This is a formal state-level investigation into whether Broward school officials violated Florida's Code of Ethics – the law that bars public officers from using taxpayer resources to secure personal or political benefits.
Florida CFO Ingoglia didn't mince words – he called the move "shameful" and "an improper and unethical contribution" to a political party.
"We will be watching," he said, with the state specifically flagging that it will scrutinize Democratic Party campaign finance reports to confirm the improper contribution is recorded correctly.
This pattern isn't unique to Broward.
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/2047707201263865978?s=20
In 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued multiple school districts for using taxpayer-funded resources to steer employees toward specific political candidates – violations of the Texas Election Code's explicit ban on school districts using "state or local funds or other resources of the district to electioneer for or against any candidate, measure, or political party."
Democrats use school districts like personal campaign infrastructure.
Broward just got caught doing it on paper.
What Leonardi Promised to Fix
Facing state investigators and a furious Education Commissioner, Leonardi produced a damage-control plan.
She promised mandatory employee training on neutrality standards and a new policy from the district's General Counsel governing logo use.
She authorized a full audit of every procurement card transaction across the district for the past year, plus an outside firm to run a separate independent investigation.
Employees who "knowingly participated" face possible termination.
The board met April 28 to formalize the changes.
Here's the thing about that list – the Broward School Board Chair needed a state investigation to launch before she wrote a policy saying school officials can't use the district logo to advertise Democrat Party fundraisers.
That policy didn't exist.
https://twitter.com/ReOpenChris/status/2046642727673074138?s=20
It should have.
What This Actually Means for Broward Parents
Broward County has some of the most expensive property taxes in Florida, much of it funding the school district.
Those parents now know their money paid for a Democrat gala ticket and a party booklet advertisement.
They know six school board members posed for headshots in an ad promoting an event honoring Barack Obama.
And they know the school board chair's first answer was "my secretary made a mistake" – which it took a state investigation to even produce.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power said it plainly: "Floridians expect their tax dollars to be used to educate students not to subsidize partisan political events."
The state is now watching every dollar.
Sources:
- Michelle Vecerina, "State launches inspector general probe into Broward schools over 'shameful' use of taxpayer funds for Democratic Party event," New York Post, April 24, 2026.
- "State opens probe after Broward School Board Chair acknowledges misuse of public funds," Florida Politics, April 24, 2026.
- "Florida Probe Targets Broward School Board After Public Funds Used For Political Gala," Tampa Free Press, April 24, 2026.
- "Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues School District for Illegal Electioneering with Public Tax Money," Texas Attorney General Office, February 22, 2024.
