Florida Subpoenas Democratic Socialists Over Alleged Foreign Funding From Cuba and China

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued an investigative subpoena to the Democratic Socialists of America, opening an inquiry into whether the left-wing organisation accepted money or support from foreign sources of concern, including Cuba and China, in connection with its overseas delegations and travel fundraising.

Uthmeier announced it on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, in a video posted on X, one week after the November 3 midterms, in which DSA-backed candidates won six seats in Congress and, in Florida, a first-ever state Legislature seat.

Key Points

• Florida AG James Uthmeier issued an investigative subpoena to the Democratic Socialists of America on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
• The probe examines whether the group accepted contributions or support from foreign sources of concern, including Cuba and China.
• It was issued under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and state solicitation laws.
• The inquiry covers DSA delegations to Cuba and China, and a travel fund that has raised more than $86,000.
• No individuals have been named as targets and no wrongdoing has been found; a subpoena is an investigative step, not a finding.

What Happened

Uthmeier announced the subpoena in a video posted to X on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, saying his office is examining whether the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) accepted contributions or support from foreign sources of concern, naming Cuba and China. The inquiry focuses on the group's delegations abroad and the appeals that paid for them.

The subpoena was issued under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and state solicitation laws, which police how charities and nonprofits raise money. They give the attorney general broad power to demand records.

Central to the inquiry is a 2025 Florida law barring nonprofits from fundraising in the state if they accepted contributions from a foreign source of concern — if the attorney general's office finds the DSA took foreign money or support, its Florida fundraising could be restricted. The probe covers DSA delegations to Cuba, where national leaders and National Political Committee members met Cuban officials, and a delegation to China, plus the travel-fund solicitations that financed them, which the office says sought tens of thousands of dollars.

The DSA's international travel fund, the Venceremos Fund, has raised more than $86,000. A 40-member delegation visited Cuba in October 2025, with another trip in March 2026. The group has 13 chapters and four organising committees in Florida, including Miami and Broward County, so any fundraising restriction would directly affect its operations.

Background: The Florida DSA Subpoena and the 2025 Fundraising Law

The Democratic Socialists of America is the largest socialist organisation in the United States, and its endorsed candidates have won office at every level over the past decade. Its chapters endorse candidates and organise around housing, healthcare and workers' rights. Its growth has made it a frequent target of Republican officials, particularly in Florida, where the state government has repeatedly moved against organisations it links to foreign governments.

Florida's 2025 law sits at the centre of this dispute. It bars nonprofits from fundraising in Florida if they accepted contributions from a foreign source of concern, a category covering governments the state regards as hostile. It gave the attorney general a new enforcement tool, and it has never been tested against a national political organisation as prominent as the DSA, one reason the subpoena has drawn national attention. The timing also matters: it arrived a week after the midterms, when six DSA-backed candidates won Congress seats and Ashley Herrmann won the first DSA-backed Florida Legislature seat, in House District 69, Hillsborough County.

Reactions and Quotes

Uthmeier framed the inquiry as enforcing the law and protecting Florida from foreign influence. "We will follow the facts. We will enforce the law, and we will not allow foreign adversaries to influence Florida through the back door of nonprofit fundraising," he said.

The Democratic Socialists of America has acknowledged receiving the subpoena but offered no additional comment. It has not said whether it will cooperate, challenge the subpoena in court, or speak publicly about the allegations. To be clear: no individuals have been named as targets, and no wrongdoing has been found. A subpoena is an investigative step, not a finding.

Why It Matters

The subpoena matters for three reasons. First, it tests Florida's 2025 nonprofit fundraising law against a major national political organisation. If the attorney general's office finds the DSA accepted foreign contributions, the law could restrict the group's fundraising in Florida, with practical consequences for its Florida chapters. Second, the case lands as the DSA's political influence is growing, after its candidates won six seats in Congress and its first Florida Legislature seat. An investigation into its finances, whatever the outcome, will shape how opponents and supporters talk about it, and could affect its ability to raise money at a moment of growth. Third, the case is part of a wider national argument about foreign influence in American politics, and it will be watched well beyond Florida.

What Happens Next

The immediate next step is the DSA's response. The organisation must decide whether to hand over the documents demanded, negotiate over the scope of the request, or challenge it in court. No decision or public timetable has been announced. If the investigation finds evidence the DSA accepted contributions from a foreign source of concern, the attorney general could move to restrict its fundraising in Florida under the 2025 law. If the records show no such contributions, the inquiry could close without action. The case will also be watched as Ashley Herrmann takes her seat in the new Florida Legislature as the first DSA-backed member.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Florida subpoena against the DSA?
Florida AG James Uthmeier issued an investigative subpoena to the Democratic Socialists of America on November 10, 2026, examining whether the group accepted contributions or support from foreign sources of concern, including Cuba and China.

What law is the investigation based on?
It was issued under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and state solicitation laws. A 2025 Florida law bars nonprofits from fundraising in the state if they accepted contributions from a foreign source of concern.

What is the Venceremos Fund?
The Venceremos Fund is the DSA's international travel fund, which has raised more than $86,000 and paid for delegations abroad, including a 40-member visit to Cuba in October 2025 and another trip in March 2026.

Has anyone been accused of wrongdoing?
No. No individuals have been named as targets, and no wrongdoing has been found. A subpoena is an investigative step, not a finding.

Why does the timing matter?
It came one week after the November 3 midterms, when DSA-backed candidates won six seats in Congress and Ashley Herrmann became the first DSA-backed candidate elected to the Florida Legislature, in House District 69, Hillsborough County.

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