FLORIDA — Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Rebekah Jones said she lived “a boring life overall. “
“But it just didn’t seem to be in the cards to me,” he told Patch.
The former Florida Department of Health employee, who built the state’s coronavirus dashboard in early 2020 at the start of the pandemic, was fired in May 2020 for what Gov. Ron DeSantis called “insubordination. “
The data scientist and outspoken whistleblower claimed she was actually fired for not manipulating data for the state’s reopening after COVID preemptive lockdowns. He then created his own board, Florida COVID Action, being a thorn in the side of the DeSantis administration.
And Jones’ messes didn’t end there. He then faced legal unrest that now appears to be diminishing when he reached a settlement with the state earlier this month.
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In December 2020, Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials raided his home while he executed a warrant on his computer. She recorded her raid on her phone and shared the video on Twitter.
“They took my phone and the computer I use every day to post Florida case numbers and school instances for the entire country,” he tweeted at the time. “They took evidence of corruption at the level estatal. incumplimiento. Es DeSantis. Il the Gestapo sent.
Jones added, “If DeSantis’ idea of pointing a gun at my face was a clever way to silence me, you’re about to know how I was. “
In January 2021, she was charged with illegally accessing the state’s PC formula and one count of crimes against PC users, PC formulas, PC networks, and electronic devices, according to an FDLE press release. He went to the Leon County arrest.
The FDLE said it won a complaint on Nov. 10 that it had illegally accessed a state emergency alert messaging system, ReadyOp.
The message, sent to 1,750 state employees, suggested they “speak before another 17,000 people die,” according to NBC 6. “You know it’s wrong. You don’t have to be a part of it. To be a hero. “
Investigators trace the message back to Jones’ home.
Earlier this month, he reached an agreement with the state to close the case. She will have to pay $20,000 to cover the costs of the research, 150 full hours of network service and seeing an intellectual fitness counselor every month. After two years, if you meet those conditions, your rate will drop, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Jones under pressure, it’s not a plea deal and he said he never sent the message criticizing DeSantis’ handling of the pandemic in the first place.
“That’s when you replace your guilty plea instead of the charges,” he told Patch.
She added: “For starters, I’m not going to admit guilt for anything I haven’t done. I’m not going to lie. That’s what they gave me in this mess. “
She knows who sent the message and is disappointed that this user didn’t show up.
The state prosecutor in charge of the case, Georgia Cappleman, told WUSF that Jones’ claims of innocence do not fit the agreement he signed with the state, but that it would not be the result.
“It’s inconsistent with the document, but I don’t care what she says,” Cappleman said. “It’s a loose country. “
Jones called the $20,000 bill for the investigation, which he said he can pay in full upfront and be exempted from payment early or in increments of $200 per month for 24 months without having to pay the rest, “infuriating” and “disgusting. “. “
“I don’t need to have to give cash to those other people because of the time they spent pointing guns at my family,” he said.
Weigh its features on how to make that payment.
She is also in a position to move forward, contemplating long-term plans for herself and her family.
Despite the impeachment, Jones, a Democrat, challenged incumbent Republican Matt Gaetz for his seat in the U. S. House of Representatives. Although he lost, he won about 32% of the vote, while Gaetz received only about 68%. He enjoyed leading his crusade and connecting with his community.
“I enjoyed campaigning. The other people are amazing. We outperformed every (Democrat) in the state on the ballot,” he said. U. S. House of Representatives seat in District 10)”
Jones added: “We made a difference on the net and that’s what we were looking to do, but we knew the odds were against us. “
He now plans to sue FDLE over the raid on his home, where his children were present.
“The way we evolved the language (in the agreement with the state) allowed me to prosecute the police for what happened,” Jones said.
She also hosts a podcast, Miss Informational, to analyze and combat misinformation in the United States and has an ongoing e-book contract to share her story.
At the same time, Jones and his family circle will leave Florida next year so he can examine disdata tactics and earn his doctorate, though he hasn’t indicated which university he’ll go to. He needs to “understand how (misdata) is born, bullying, how data spreads and how to save you this kind of thing,” he said.
That doesn’t mean Jones is done with Sunshine State.
“I’m not going to give up Florida. La people here deserve better,” he said. “What happened in Florida serves as a warning about what could happen in the United States. This is the battlefield and I will remain on the battlefield.
Nor does he rule out running for election along the way.
“Yes, probably (I’ll run again). I know myself,” she said, noting, “There’s a race for governor in 4 years. You can finish a PhD at that time. “
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