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WATCH • TRANSPARENCY

Transparency Matters: What I Know About the Govoni Case, and Why I Won't Hide From It

By David Jolly Published: 2026-07-13 Last updated: 2026-07-13
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Key moments

0:16

More than a decade ago, I was an employee of Mr Govoni's at a separate company from which the theft later occurred. My wife, Laura, also worked at that separate company.

0:50

From public filings, his activities appear to have occurred almost exclusively after we left his employment, and we learned of these charges when the rest of the world did.

1:58

Unlike too many politicians today who hide behind lawyers or refuse to answer questions, I'm an open book. Because when you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide.

2:17

I also know this betrayal was possible in part because Florida has failed families with special needs for years. We continue to rank near the bottom nationally. The wait list for services is over 10 years.

What happened

Last year, Clearwater businessman Leo Govoni was charged with stealing millions of dollars from individuals with severe disabilities. The families trusted Govoni with their futures. The evidence, per David Jolly's assessment in this video, strongly supports the charges.

What Jolly knew

More than a decade ago, David Jolly and his wife Laura worked for Govoni at a separate company. From public filings, the alleged theft occurred almost exclusively after they left. They learned of the charges when the rest of the world did.

Transcript

Verified transcript of the video above.

0:00 Hi, folks. David Jolly, running for Florida governor. I want to address a serious matter that has been raised when the public deserves to hear about directly from me. Last year, Clearwater businessman Leo Govoni was personally charged with stealing millions of dollars from individuals with severe disabilities.
0:16 These individuals and their families trusted Mr Govoni with their futures. Instead, they have seemingly been robbed of their financial security and their peace of mind. More than a decade ago, I was an employee of Mr Govoni's at a separate company from which the theft later occurred.
0:33 My wife, Laura, also worked at that separate company from public filings. His activities appear to have occurred almost exclusively after we left his employment, and we learned of these charges when the rest of the world did.
0:50 This is not new information for our state. It was widely reported on last year, but let's be very clear. The evidence strongly supports the charges. If proven true, his actions represent a raw cruelty that demands swift and absolute justice.
1:07 Every victim deserves to be made whole, and to the extent I can be helpful, I have offered my support. What we know, too, is that Mr Govoni worked hard to surround himself with elected officials across Florida.
1:22 He supported the campaigns of Republicans and Democrats alike, including those of Rick Scott, Ashley Moody, Marco Rubio, Pam Bondi and many other state and local officials, while also supporting my campaigns for Congress. His son even briefly worked for me. This context should not insulate him from what is alleged.
1:39 If anything, it makes the pattern of trust he built and the allegations that followed even more disturbing. But you see, here's how this race is different. Here's how I'm different. Unlike too many politicians today who hide behind lawyers or refuse to answer questions, I'm an open book.
1:58 Because when you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide. And because Florida's voters deserve leaders willing to answer questions and willing to earn your trust. I'm asking for that opportunity as your next governor. And so I don't run from this conversation.
2:17 I invite this conversation because I also know this betrayal was possible in part because Florida has failed families with special needs for years. We continue to rank near the bottom nationally. The wait list for services is over 10 years. Managed care continues to reduce health benefits.
2:33 Independent living is out of reach, and employment and education opportunities are scarce. A central commitment of my campaign is to tackle this crisis and give voice to what is often the most overlooked community in our state. You see, this campaign for governor is about returning the state of Florida to something more serious.
2:50 Adult leadership, sober decision making and along the way, honesty and a little bit of kindness for those with understandable concerns about this matter. Bring them to me.
3:05 Let's discuss them, and then let's continue our work to change Florida and to those who believe the opportunity for change is here, that the opportunity to renew our faith in politics and in each other is upon us. Thank you for your trust.

Related questions

Did David Jolly work for Leo Govoni?

Yes. More than a decade ago, David Jolly and his wife Laura were employees of Leo Govoni at a company separate from the one where the alleged theft occurred. From public filings, the activities appear to have occurred almost exclusively after the Jollys left his employment. They learned of the charges when the rest of the world did.

Why is Jolly addressing this publicly?

From the video: "Unlike too many politicians today who hide behind lawyers or refuse to answer questions, I'm an open book. Because when you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide." Jolly's position is that Florida voters deserve leaders willing to answer questions and earn trust directly.

What does this have to do with families with special needs?

Jolly frames the betrayal as possible in part because Florida has failed families with special needs for years. The state continues to rank near the bottom nationally. The wait list for services is over 10 years. Managed care continues to reduce health benefits. Independent living is out of reach. Tackling this crisis is a central commitment of the Jolly campaign.

Did Govoni donate to Jolly's campaigns?

Yes. Jolly states in the video that Leo Govoni supported the campaigns of Republicans and Democrats alike, including Rick Scott, Ashley Moody, Marco Rubio, Pam Bondi, and many other state and local officials, while also supporting Jolly's campaigns for Congress. Govoni's son even briefly worked for Jolly. Jolly's position: this context should not insulate Govoni from what is alleged.

More on this topic

OverviewCampaign Finance and Ethics Reform

Sources

  1. David Jolly for Florida Governor, Transparency Matters: I Won't Run From Tough Questions (YouTube) · 2026-07-13

When you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide.

Florida deserves leaders willing to answer questions and earn your trust directly.