Rebekah Jones: Difference between revisions

Rebekah Jones
Rebekah Jones
	Jones in 2022
Born	July 25, 1989 (age 35); Windber, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	Syracuse University (BS); Louisiana State University (MS); Florida State University
	Scientific career
Fields	Geography, data science
Institutions	Louisiana State University; Florida State University
Website	geojones.org

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Rebekah Jones (born July 25, 1989)^[2]^[3] is an American geographer, data scientist, and activist. She managed the team that created the Florida Department of Health's COVID-19 dashboard. She was fired from her position in May 2020. In May 2021, she was granted whistleblower protection.

In the 2022 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Florida, Jones was the Democratic Party nominee against Matt Gaetz for Florida's 1st congressional district;^[4] she was defeated on November 8, 2022.^[5]

Early life and education

Jones was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, to blue-collar parents.^[1] At the age of nine, her family moved to Wiggins, Mississippi, where she spent most of her childhood. She grew up poor, often housing and food insecure.^[6]^[2]^[7]^[8] Jones graduated from Stone High School in 2007,^[9] after missing months of school due to the school's destruction^[a] during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.^[14]^[8] She says her experiences in Katrina made her interested in natural disasters.^[2] In her junior year, Jones was removed from class for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and led other students to do the same after learning from civil liberties groups she was acting within her rights.^[6]

Jones graduated cum laude from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University with dual degrees in geography and journalism in 2012.^[15]

In 2014, she received a master's degree in geography and a minor in mass communication from Louisiana State University,^[16] where she won an award the same year from the Association of American Geographers.^[17] In 2015, her research titled Quantifying Extreme Weather Event Impacts on the Northern Gulf Coast Using Landsat Imagery was published in the Journal of Coastal Research.^[18]

Jones was a graduate student in the Department of Geography at Florida State University from 2016 through 2018,^[19] where she worked on a doctoral dissertation entitled Using Native American Sitescapes to Extend the North American Paleotempestological Record Through Coupled Remote Sensing and Climatological Analysis.^[20]^[21]^[19]

Florida Department of Health

In September 2018, she became a geographic information system (GIS) analyst at Florida Department of Health (DOH) in Tallahassee and worked on the agency's emergency response team during Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Dorian. Jones performed analysis and modeling of mapping and surveillance data to provide information to the public and state officials used to coordinate disaster response, like the organization of patient movement to open beds between interstate hospitals.^[22]^[23]^[24]^[25] In November 2019, she was appointed to a manager role within GIS handling analysis and tracking of environmental health data and health services.^[26]^[22]^[25] She managed the team of data scientists and public health officers that used Esri's ArcGIS^[25] software to create the widely praised Florida Department of Health's COVID-19 dashboard.^[27]^[28]^[29]^[30]

Removal from the COVID-19 dashboard team

Jones managed Florida's public data systems and later its dashboard from February 2020 to May 2020.^[31]^[32] On May 4, 2020, a Miami Herald reporter made an inquiry to DOH about evidence they said could indicate an earlier community spread from the published data, which was handled by Jones's team.^[33]^[34] The Tampa Bay Times and The Palm Beach Post reported a data field was removed for less than 24 hours; Shamarial Roberson, Deputy Secretary of Health, said the field was unimportant and indicated when a patient believed their symptoms began.^[35]^[33] A spokesperson for the Department of Health responded that the dates Jones referred to corresponded to dates when individuals may have come into contact with the virus, rather than dates when they tested positive.^[36] Carina Blackmore, the director for the division, instructed Jones to disable exporting data files to ensure the data matched what was in their PDF counterpart. Jones was adamant that broad access to complete raw data was crucial for the academic community.^[37] When instructed by her superiors to restrict access to any of the data, she objected, claiming it was unethical.^[38] In emails she said, "This is the wrong call," and "I'm not pulling our primary resource for coronavirus data because he (Pritchard)^[b] wants to stick it to journalists."^[33]^[40] Blackmore said the temporary removal was due to concerns about privacy and potential misunderstanding and misuse of the field.^[33] The following day, Jones was removed from the COVID-19 dashboard team. She threatened to quit and went on leave.^[33]^[41]

Firing from the Florida Department of Health

On May 15, 2020, Jones sent an email to a public listserv suggesting her removal was punishment for a commitment to accessibility and transparency and should cast doubt on the data's integrity.^[42]^[43]^[33] On May 18, Jones was fired for insubordination, after refusing an offer to resign.^[35]^[44] The spokesperson for Florida governor Ron DeSantis said Jones was dismissed for making unilateral decisions about the dashboard without consulting others on the team.^[44] Her superiors testified that they were unaware that she had made raw data available for export that did not match.^[45]^[46] Jones disputes the state's claims and alleges that she was fired because she refused to manipulate data to indicate reopening readiness in rural counties to align with DeSantis's reopening plan.^[47]^[44]

Jones's allegations amounted to disagreements about methodology by which the state evaluated readiness to reopen. ^[35]^[48]^[49]^[50] In emails obtained by Miami Herald, Carina Blackmore assembled a small team including Jones to "to develop new data for a reopening plan" at the end of April 2020. When the criteria supplied by the White House showed that highly populated counties were ready to open, but not rural counties, Blackmore suggested lower populations might be held to a different standard to account for natural social distancing.^[33] Jones alleged that the deputy health secretary, Shamarial Roberson, then ordered Jones to manually change the data to support reopening.^[51]^[33] The subsequent May 4 reopening resulted in a surge in cases,^[50]^[33]^[52]^[53] but DeSantis used an external task force, not the DOH, to make recommendations on reopening. DeSantis said, "It's not up to the health department to say a 'yes' or a 'no'."^[54]^[33] Jones alleged on Twitter that she was ordered to delete positive test results and deaths, and that the state was hiding such data to make the pandemic seem less deadly, which NBC News called a conspiracy theory.^[55]^[56]^[57]^[28] DeSantis was criticized for reopening against the advice of epidemiologists.^[53]^[58]

Jones filed a formal complaint in July 2020 with the Florida Commission on Human Relations for wrongful termination and misconduct of DOH officials.^[53] She was granted formal whistleblower protections by the Florida Office of Inspector General in May 2021 .^[59]

Jones also alleged that the governor's office was micromanaging the health department, misleading the public about the state's vaccination data, and criticized DeSantis for pushing to reopen too early. These claims and criticisms were reportedly substantiated by journalists, but were not a part of the official reports Jones filed.^[33]^[60]

Police search warrant and deferred prosecution agreement

On December 7, 2020, at 8:30 a.m., state police raided Jones' home,^[61] where they confiscated electronic devices including her personal phone and laptop computer. She posted video of the encounter taken from a home security camera on Twitter.^[62] Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in a statement later that day that the warrant was issued because Jones was suspected of hacking into a Florida Department of Health computer system and sending an unauthorized message to members of the State Emergency Response Team on November 10, 2020.^[63] The alleged statement urged recipients to "speak up before another 17,000 people are dead".^[64] In a press interview later that morning, Jones denied sending the unauthorized message. She stated that because the authorities seized only her personal electronic devices and not other electronics in her house that could have been used to send the unauthorized message, she does not think she was the target of the investigation at all, but rather that her phone was seized so authorities could identify the Florida Department of Health workers with whom she had been communicating, including her confidential sources.^[65]

On January 16, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued for Jones by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement claiming she illegally breached state systems and downloaded the confidential contact information for nearly 20,000 people and sent a message to state employees telling them to "speak out." Jones stated she was not allowed to speak to the media about the charges because it could "result in the police 'stacking' additional charges".^[66]^[67] Jones turned herself in on January 18 to the police, after which she tested positive for COVID.^[68] After numerous case management hearings, a trial date was set for Jones's felony charge, scheduled for January 23, 2023.^[69] On December 8, 2022, she entered into a deferred prosecution agreement which results in the case being dismissed^[70]^[71]

U.S. civil liberties watchdog Electronic Frontier Foundation warned about overreliance on IP addresses and called for the need to reform overbroad computer crime laws.^[72] Ars Technica and Forbes reported that the affidavit stated that the emergency alert system at the time the unauthorized message was sent used a single username and password, searchable by Google, calling into question if the act could be considered a "hack".^[73]^[74]

Dropped lawsuit

Jones filed a lawsuit on December 20, 2020,^[75] against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Commissioner Rick Swearingen^[76] alleging that the police obtained a "sham" search warrant whose true purpose was to retaliate against her. Her suit claimed that one of the FDLE agents grabbed her "without consent, authorization, or legitimate basis" while searching her home.^[77] She also alleged that the FDLE violated her First Amendment free speech rights, and had performed an unlawful search and seizure when they confiscated computers and her personal cell phone.^[75] Attorneys for Jones sought damages and a jury trial, stating in the 19-page lawsuit, which was filed in Leon County court, that "They entered her home with guns drawn, terrorizing her family."^[76] On February 6, 2021, court records show Jones dropped the lawsuit against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, although the disposition of her seized property remains unresolved.^[78] Bodycam footage was later released by FDLE, though this footage did not show the officers entering the house, as seen in the footage from Jones's home security cameras.^[79]^[80]

Subsequent activities

After her firing, Jones launched an independent COVID-19 data dashboard for the state of Florida,^[81] which gained her a national award by Forbes.^[82] Google and the non-profit FinMango partnered with Jones for a national project.^[c]^[84]

In June 2021, she was suspended from Twitter for violations of the Twitter rules on spam and platform manipulation.^[85]^[86] Governor DeSantis's office welcomed the suspension, with a spokesperson calling it "long overdue" and accusing Jones of spreading "defamatory conspiracy theories".^[87]^[88]

In March 2023, Jones filed her whistleblower lawsuit against the Florida Department of Health, the state Surgeon General and a former deputy secretary seeking reinstatement, back wages, compensation for emotional distress and punitive damages for being fired in May 2020. Jones claims that her due process and free speech rights were violated in retaliation for being a whistleblower.^[89]^[90]

2022 Congressional candidacy

In May 2021, Jones announced that she would not run for congress, either in Maryland where she was living at the time, or in Florida, stating that she did not feel safe running in Florida, and that she was not well-enough prepared to run in Maryland.^[91] A day after her suspension from Twitter in June, she announced her intention to run against incumbent Matt Gaetz in the 2022 U.S. House elections but subsequently downplayed her announcement in another post, saying that if a Republican or Democratic challenger did not appear, "Well, November 2022 is a long ways away".^[92]^[93] Jones launched her campaign for Florida's first congressional district in July 2021.^[94] Although she filed with the FEC as an independent, she later had to change her filing to run as a Democrat due to voting and election law changes enacted before Jones declared her candidacy.^[95]^[96]

On July 15, 2022, a lawsuit was filed against Jones by her primary campaign opponent, Margaret "Peggy" Schiller and a Northwest Florida resident, asserting that Jones violated a state law that requires someone to be a member of a political party for a full year ahead of qualifying if they are running for that party's nomination. The suit sought an injunction to remove Jones from the primary ballot.^[97]^[98] She was removed from the ballot on August 5 after a judge ruled she failed to meet political party registration requirements.^[99]^[100] On August 12, Jones was granted a motion to stay with regards to her appeal of the ruling, allowing her to continue her campaign.^[100] On August 22, 2022, the 1st District Court of Appeals reversed the lower court ruling, letting Jones stay on the ballot as a valid candidate.^[101] On August 23, 2022, she won the Democratic primary election, and ran against Gaetz in the November general election,^[102] which she lost on November 8, 2022.^[5]

Legal issues

Jones has had prior criminal charges. At the time the search warrant was executed, Jones was facing an active misdemeanor charge on allegations of cyberstalking a former student of hers who was a romantic partner and publishing sexual details about their relationship online. She was fired from her Florida State University teaching position for threatening to give a failing grade to her romantic partner's roommate.^[103] She faced prior charges including felony robbery, trespass, and contempt of court stemming from an alleged violation of a domestic violence restraining order related to the same ex-boyfriend, but those charges were dropped. In 2017, she had been arrested and charged with criminal mischief in the vandalism of his car, but the charges were dropped.^[103]^[104]^[105]^[81] On June 7, 2023, Jones pled no-contest to the misdemeanor charges of stalking her former student and was sentenced to 1 year of probation and has to complete a Victim Awareness Program and Batterers Intervention Program.^[106]

Jones faced criminal charges in Louisiana in 2016 where she was arrested and charged by the LSU Police Department with one count each of battery on a police officer and remaining there after being forbidden, plus two counts of resisting arrest after refusing to vacate a Louisiana State University office upon being dismissed from her staff position.^[107]^[108]

Honors

In 2020, Jones was recognized by Fortune magazine's 40 Under 40 in Healthcare for founding Florida COVID Action.^[83] She was named Forbes's 2020 Technology Person of the Year for creating alternative Florida COVID-19 tracking dashboards.^[82] Jones received the Samuel Lawrence Foundation Prize book award in 2020.^[109]^[110]

Notes

^ Katrina made landfall as a category 3 tropical storm near Triumph, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. Storm surge affected Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi, 40 miles south of Wiggins.^[10] Stone High School served as the location of the American Red Cross relief headquarters for the area and a standby shelter.^[11]^[12]^[13]
^ Scott Pritchard is the former Interim Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Investigations Section in the Bureau of Epidemiology's Division of Disease Control and Health Protection at the Department of Health. He left the DOH, and subsequently the state of Florida, after Governor Ron DeSantis announced his school reopening plan.^[39]^[34]
^ «she solidified a partnership with Google and nonprofit FinMango. With Google’s cloud computing and data capabilities and FinMango to help manage the project»^[83]

References

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^ Rebekah Jones [@GeoRebekah] (July 25, 2023). "It's my birthday!! What better gift than to help Academy Award nominated director @joshfoxfilm tell my story? Watch the trailer, check out the rewards, donate and SHARE!!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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^ Choi, Joseph (June 8, 2021). "Rebekah Jones's Twitter account suspended, DeSantis cheers". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
^ Thebault, Reis; Iati, Marisa (June 7, 2021). "DeSantis applauds fired whistleblower's Twitter suspension, the latest in an ongoing feud". Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
^ Rosica, Jim (March 13, 2023). "Years after firing, Rebekah Jones now suing state of Florida to get job back". City & State FL. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
^ Lenthang, Marlene (April 1, 2023). "Son of controversial Florida data scientist charged with making alleged school threats". NBC News. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
^ Weber, Thomas (May 21, 2021). "Fired pandemic data manager Rebekah Jones won't run for Congress". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
^ "Rebekah Jones Announces, Then Walks Back Plans To Run Against Matt Gaetz". WFSU News. June 8, 2021. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
^ "Fired Florida data official Rebekah Jones yo-yoes on congressional bid". WPTV. June 8, 2021. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
^ Nazaryan, Alexander (August 6, 2021). "Data scientist who clashed with DeSantis returns to Florida, preparing to run against Matt Gaetz". news.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
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^ Ogles, Jacob (August 5, 2022). "Judge tosses Rebekah Jones from CD 1 race". Florida Politics. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Davis, Kai (August 12, 2022). "Court grants motion allowing Rebekah Jones to continue Florida District 1 campaign". WEAR. Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
^ McLaughlin, Tom. "Rebekah Jones wins appeal, will be valid candidate in Democratic primary Tuesday". Pensacola News Journal. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
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^ ^a ^b "Criminal Stalking Case Against Fired Florida Health Data Scientist To Drag Into August". WUFT (TV). July 22, 2020. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^ Desai, Jigsha (December 8, 2020). "Who is Rebekah Jones? Former Florida COVID-19 data scientist had home raided by authorities". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
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^ Davis, Kai (June 8, 2023). "Rebekah Jones to serve 1-year probation for 2019 cyberstalking charge". WEAR. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
^ "FDLE Chief Defends Agents, Says Jones' 'Conspiracy' Allegation 'Sounds Ridiculous'". WUSF. December 16, 2020. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
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^ "Rebekah D. Jones". Samuel Lawrence Foundation. December 13, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.

External links

Scholia has a profile for Rebekah D. Jones (Q91218134).

Official website
Rebekah Jones for Congress campaign website
Florida COVID Action Jones' alternate COVID-19 dashboard for the state of Florida

[14] Katrina made landfall as a category 3 tropical storm near Triumph, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. Storm surge affected Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi, 40 miles south of Wiggins.^[10] Stone High School served as the location of the American Red Cross relief headquarters for the area and a standby shelter.^[11]^[12]^[13]

[41] Scott Pritchard is the former Interim Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Investigations Section in the Bureau of Epidemiology's Division of Disease Control and Health Protection at the Department of Health. He left the DOH, and subsequently the state of Florida, after Governor Ron DeSantis announced his school reopening plan.^[39]^[34]

[86] «she solidified a partnership with Google and nonprofit FinMango. With Google’s cloud computing and data capabilities and FinMango to help manage the project»^[83]

[ballotpedia_birthplace-1] "Rebekah Jones". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 31, 2023.

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[3] Rebekah Jones [@GeoRebekah] (July 25, 2023). "It's my birthday!! What better gift than to help Academy Award nominated director @joshfoxfilm tell my story? Watch the trailer, check out the rewards, donate and SHARE!!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

[4] Nerozzi, Timothy H J. "Florida's Rebekah Jones, who launched unsubstantiated COVID data allegations, allowed back on House ballot". Fox. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.

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[9] "Stone High Grad Seeks Fla. Congressional Seat, Could Stand Trial in January 23'". Stone County Enterprise. September 18, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2023.

[10] "Hurricane Katrina Timeline". www.thepeoplehistory.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023.

[11] Nieves, Evelyn (September 14, 2005). "The Region Starts to Stagger Back". Washington Post.

[12] "Sept. 6, 2005: More Katrina damage, recovery | Gallery". Hattiesburg American. September 6, 2005. Retrieved January 31, 2023.

[13] "The Disaster Center's Tropical Storm - Hurricane Katrina Page". The Disaster Center. Retrieved January 31, 2023.

[15] Cox, Jay (March 31, 2020). "Alumna Tracks the COVID-19 Outbreak". Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2023. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 27, 2022 suggested (help)

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 ===Removal from the COVID-19 dashboard team===
-Jones managed the dashboard for two months.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Persaud |first=Chris |title=Ousted Florida scientist Rebekah Jones' whistleblower complaint takes aim at DeSantis |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2020/07/17/ousted-florida-scientist-rebekah-jonesrsquo-whistleblower-complaint-takes-aim-at-desantis/41716827/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mazzei |first1=Patricia |title=A State Scientist Questioned Florida's Virus Data. Now Her Home's Been Raided. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |access-date=18 January 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=11 December 2020}}</ref> On May 4, 2020, a ''[[Miami Herald]]'' reporter made an inquiry to DOH about evidence they said could indicate an earlier [[Pathogen transmission|community spread]] from the published data, which was handled by Jones's team.<ref name="Miami Herald">{{cite news |last1=Blaskey |first1=Sarah |date=June 4, 2020 |title=What Rebekah Jones saw behind the scenes at the Florida Department of Health |work=Miami Herald |publisher= |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article251838913.html |access-date=16 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="Sassoon">{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US}}</ref> The ''[[Tampa Bay Times]]'' and ''[[The Palm Beach Post]]'' reported a data field was removed for less than 24 hours; Shamarial Roberson, Deputy Secretary of Health, said the field was unimportant and indicated when a patient believed their symptoms began.<ref name="AP"/><ref name="Miami Herald" />  A spokesperson for the Department of Health responded that the dates Jones referred to corresponded to dates when individuals may have come into contact with the virus, rather than dates when they tested positive.<ref name="Iati">{{Cite news |last=Iati |first=Marisa |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Florida fired its coronavirus data scientist. Jones is publishing the statistics on her own. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/12/rebekah-jones-florida-coronavirus/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117160123/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/12/rebekah-jones-florida-coronavirus/ |archive-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref> Carina Blackmore, the director for the division, instructed Jones to disable exporting data files to ensure the data matched what was in their [[PDF]] counterpart. Jones was adamant that broad access to complete raw data was crucial for the academic community.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sassoon |first1=Alessandro Marazzi |title=Coronavirus: As Florida re-opens, COVID-19 data chief gets sidelined and researchers cry foul |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/18/censorship-covid-19-data-researcher-removed-florida-moves-re-open-state/5212398002/ |access-date=31 January 2023 |work=Florida Today |date=May 18, 2020}}</ref> When instructed by her superiors to restrict access to any of the data, she objected, claiming it was unethical.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Armus |first1=Teo |title=Florida police were after a covid-19 data scientist. She turned herself in — and tested positive. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/19/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-jail/ |access-date=31 January 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref> In emails she said, "This is the wrong call," and "I'm not pulling our primary resource for coronavirus data because he (Pritchard){{efn|Scott Pritchard is the former Interim Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Investigations Section in the Bureau of Epidemiology's Division of Disease Control and Health Protection at the Department of Health. He left the DOH, and subsequently the state of Florida, after Governor Ron DeSantis announced his school reopening plan.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Coronavirus ravaged Florida, as Ron DeSantis sidelined scientists and followed Trump |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/coronavirus-ravaged-florida-as-ron-desantis-sidelined-scientists-and-followed-trump/2020/07/25/0b8008da-c648-11ea-b037-f9711f89ee46_story.html |access-date=2023-01-16 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name="Sassoon">{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US}}</ref>}} wants to stick it to journalists."<ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US"}}</ref> Blackmore said the temporary removal was due to concerns about privacy and potential misunderstanding and misuse of the field.<ref name="Miami Herald"/> The following day, Jones was removed from the COVID-19 dashboard team. She threatened to quit and went on leave.<ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Persaud |first=Chris |title=Ousted Florida scientist Rebekah Jones' whistleblower complaint takes aim at DeSantis |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2020/07/17/ousted-florida-scientist-rebekah-jonesrsquo-whistleblower-complaint-takes-aim-at-desantis/41717003/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Florida Times-Union |language=en-US}}</ref>
+Jones managed Florida's public data systems and later its dashboard from February 2020 to May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Persaud |first=Chris |title=Ousted Florida scientist Rebekah Jones' whistleblower complaint takes aim at DeSantis |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2020/07/17/ousted-florida-scientist-rebekah-jonesrsquo-whistleblower-complaint-takes-aim-at-desantis/41716827/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mazzei |first1=Patricia |title=A State Scientist Questioned Florida's Virus Data. Now Her Home's Been Raided. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |access-date=18 January 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=11 December 2020}}</ref> On May 4, 2020, a ''[[Miami Herald]]'' reporter made an inquiry to DOH about evidence they said could indicate an earlier [[Pathogen transmission|community spread]] from the published data, which was handled by Jones's team.<ref name="Miami Herald">{{cite news |last1=Blaskey |first1=Sarah |date=June 4, 2020 |title=What Rebekah Jones saw behind the scenes at the Florida Department of Health |work=Miami Herald |publisher= |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article251838913.html |access-date=16 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="Sassoon">{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US}}</ref> The ''[[Tampa Bay Times]]'' and ''[[The Palm Beach Post]]'' reported a data field was removed for less than 24 hours; Shamarial Roberson, Deputy Secretary of Health, said the field was unimportant and indicated when a patient believed their symptoms began.<ref name="AP"/><ref name="Miami Herald" />  A spokesperson for the Department of Health responded that the dates Jones referred to corresponded to dates when individuals may have come into contact with the virus, rather than dates when they tested positive.<ref name="Iati">{{Cite news |last=Iati |first=Marisa |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Florida fired its coronavirus data scientist. Jones is publishing the statistics on her own. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/12/rebekah-jones-florida-coronavirus/ |url-status=live |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117160123/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/12/rebekah-jones-florida-coronavirus/ |archive-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref> Carina Blackmore, the director for the division, instructed Jones to disable exporting data files to ensure the data matched what was in their [[PDF]] counterpart. Jones was adamant that broad access to complete raw data was crucial for the academic community.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sassoon |first1=Alessandro Marazzi |title=Coronavirus: As Florida re-opens, COVID-19 data chief gets sidelined and researchers cry foul |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/18/censorship-covid-19-data-researcher-removed-florida-moves-re-open-state/5212398002/ |access-date=31 January 2023 |work=Florida Today |date=May 18, 2020}}</ref> When instructed by her superiors to restrict access to any of the data, she objected, claiming it was unethical.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Armus |first1=Teo |title=Florida police were after a covid-19 data scientist. She turned herself in — and tested positive. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/19/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-jail/ |access-date=31 January 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref> In emails she said, "This is the wrong call," and "I'm not pulling our primary resource for coronavirus data because he (Pritchard){{efn|Scott Pritchard is the former Interim Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Investigations Section in the Bureau of Epidemiology's Division of Disease Control and Health Protection at the Department of Health. He left the DOH, and subsequently the state of Florida, after Governor Ron DeSantis announced his school reopening plan.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Coronavirus ravaged Florida, as Ron DeSantis sidelined scientists and followed Trump |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/coronavirus-ravaged-florida-as-ron-desantis-sidelined-scientists-and-followed-trump/2020/07/25/0b8008da-c648-11ea-b037-f9711f89ee46_story.html |access-date=2023-01-16 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name="Sassoon">{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US}}</ref>}} wants to stick it to journalists."<ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today |language=en-US"}}</ref> Blackmore said the temporary removal was due to concerns about privacy and potential misunderstanding and misuse of the field.<ref name="Miami Herald"/> The following day, Jones was removed from the COVID-19 dashboard team. She threatened to quit and went on leave.<ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Persaud |first=Chris |title=Ousted Florida scientist Rebekah Jones' whistleblower complaint takes aim at DeSantis |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2020/07/17/ousted-florida-scientist-rebekah-jonesrsquo-whistleblower-complaint-takes-aim-at-desantis/41717003/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Florida Times-Union |language=en-US}}</ref>
 === Firing from the Florida Department of Health ===
 [[File:Rebekah Jones Photo.jpg|thumb|Jones in 2020]]
-On May 15, 2020, Jones sent an email to a public [[LISTSERV|listserv]] suggesting her removal was punishment for a commitment to accessibility and transparency and should cast doubt on the data's integrity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Amanda |date=2020-12-08 |title=Florida Continues to Target a Top COVID-19 Data Scientist |url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/12/data-scientist-rebekah-joness-home-raided-by-florida-police.html |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Cut}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |title=Coronavirus: As Florida re-opens, COVID-19 data chief gets sidelined and researchers cry foul |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/18/censorship-covid-19-data-researcher-removed-florida-moves-re-open-state/5212398002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today}}</ref><ref name="Miami Herald"/> On May 18, Jones was fired for insubordination, after refusing an offer to resign.<ref name="AP"/><ref name="Mansoor">{{Cite magazine |last=Mansoor |first=Sanya |date=June 15, 2020 |title=Fired Florida Data Scientist Creates Competing COVID-19 Tracking Site and Suggests State Is Hiding Important Information |url=https://time.com/5853398/florida-fired-scientist-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621074628/https://time.com/5853398/florida-fired-scientist-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones/ |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |access-date=2020-12-08}}</ref> The ''[[Associated Press]]'' reported that state records detailed repeated warnings by her supervisor not to publicly discuss her work without permission, including releasing unauthorized charts.<ref name="AP"/> The spokesperson for Florida governor [[Ron DeSantis]] said Jones was dismissed for making unilateral decisions about the dashboard without consulting others on the team.<ref name="Mansoor"/> Her superiors testified that they were unaware that she had made raw data available for export that did not match.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Klas |first=Mary Ellen |date=May 28, 2022 |title=Report rejects Rebekah Jones' claim that Florida doctored COVID data |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/05/28/report-rejects-rebekah-jones-claim-that-florida-doctored-covid-data/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> Jones disputes the state's claims and alleges that she was fired because she refused to manipulate data to indicate reopening readiness in rural counties to align with DeSantis's reopening plan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sassoon |first1=Alessandro Marazzi |title=Florida scientist was fired for 'refusing to manipulate' COVID-19 data, she said |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/19/florida-scientist-refused-manipulate-covid-19-data-and-fired/5219137002 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110142336/https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/19/florida-scientist-refused-manipulate-covid-19-data-and-fired/5219137002/ |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |access-date=19 May 2020 |website=[[Florida Today]]}}</ref><ref name="Mansoor"/>
+On May 15, 2020, Jones sent an email to a public [[LISTSERV|listserv]] suggesting her removal was punishment for a commitment to accessibility and transparency and should cast doubt on the data's integrity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Amanda |date=2020-12-08 |title=Florida Continues to Target a Top COVID-19 Data Scientist |url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/12/data-scientist-rebekah-joness-home-raided-by-florida-police.html |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Cut}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |title=Coronavirus: As Florida re-opens, COVID-19 data chief gets sidelined and researchers cry foul |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/18/censorship-covid-19-data-researcher-removed-florida-moves-re-open-state/5212398002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today}}</ref><ref name="Miami Herald"/> On May 18, Jones was fired for insubordination, after refusing an offer to resign.<ref name="AP"/><ref name="Mansoor">{{Cite magazine |last=Mansoor |first=Sanya |date=June 15, 2020 |title=Fired Florida Data Scientist Creates Competing COVID-19 Tracking Site and Suggests State Is Hiding Important Information |url=https://time.com/5853398/florida-fired-scientist-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621074628/https://time.com/5853398/florida-fired-scientist-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones/ |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |access-date=2020-12-08}}</ref>  The spokesperson for Florida governor [[Ron DeSantis]] said Jones was dismissed for making unilateral decisions about the dashboard without consulting others on the team.<ref name="Mansoor"/> Her superiors testified that they were unaware that she had made raw data available for export that did not match.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sassoon |first=Alessandro Marazzi |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Fired scientist defends her COVID-19 data role, portrays Florida Dept. of Health as corrupt |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/23/rebekah-jones-fired-florida-health-department-scientist-covid-19-data-interference/5249295002/ |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=Florida Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Klas |first=Mary Ellen |date=May 28, 2022 |title=Report rejects Rebekah Jones' claim that Florida doctored COVID data |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2022/05/28/report-rejects-rebekah-jones-claim-that-florida-doctored-covid-data/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> Jones disputes the state's claims and alleges that she was fired because she refused to manipulate data to indicate reopening readiness in rural counties to align with DeSantis's reopening plan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sassoon |first1=Alessandro Marazzi |title=Florida scientist was fired for 'refusing to manipulate' COVID-19 data, she said |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/19/florida-scientist-refused-manipulate-covid-19-data-and-fired/5219137002 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110142336/https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/05/19/florida-scientist-refused-manipulate-covid-19-data-and-fired/5219137002/ |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |access-date=19 May 2020 |website=[[Florida Today]]}}</ref><ref name="Mansoor"/>
-Jones's allegations amounted to disagreements about methodology by which the state evaluated readiness to reopen. She opposed the way the state computed test positivity rates which had been previously announced on April 24 and believes that positive results for [[Serologic tests|antibody testing]]{{Efn|Antibody tests check for past infections while diagnostic tests check for current infections.<ref name="Waldrop">{{Cite web |last1=Waldrop |first1=Theresa |last2=Flores |first2=Rosa |last3=Sutton |first3=Joe |date=2020-05-20 |title=Florida and Georgia facing scrutiny for their Covid-19 data reporting |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/20/us/florida-georgia-covid-19-test-data/index.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=CNN}}</ref>|name=}} should be included in cumulative case totals, which outside epidemiologists don't recommend as they can skew results.<ref name="AP">{{Cite news |last1=Farrington |first1=Brendan |last2=Calvan |first2=Bobby Caina |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Public remarks prompted Florida virus data curator's firing |work=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/eaf591c566f99175234d0d3d031777bf |url-status=live |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706173500/https://apnews.com/eaf591c566f99175234d0d3d031777bf |archive-date=July 6, 2022}}</ref><ref name="time.com">{{Cite magazine |last=Mansoor |first=Sanya |date=June 15, 2020 |title=Fired Florida Data Scientist Creates Competing COVID-19 Tracking Site and Suggests State Is Hiding Important Information |url=https://time.com/5853398/florida-fired-scientist-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |magazine=Time}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mazzei |first=Patricia |date=2020-12-11 |title=A State Scientist Questioned Florida's Virus Data. Now Her Home's Been Raided. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref><ref name="Waldrop">{{Cite web |last1=Waldrop |first1=Theresa |last2=Flores |first2=Rosa |last3=Sutton |first3=Joe |date=2020-05-20 |title=Florida and Georgia facing scrutiny for their Covid-19 data reporting |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/20/us/florida-georgia-covid-19-test-data/index.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=CNN}}</ref> She also opposed a state policy on reopening of rural counties, which was permitted under federal guidelines to make low-population areas more resilient to small, containable spikes in cases.<ref name="AP"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloch |first=Emily |date=2021-03-11 |title=Rebekah Jones Tried to Protect Florida From COVID-19—and Then Its Governor Came After Her |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a35714647/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-19-data-whistleblower-arrest/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Cosmopolitan).}}</ref> In emails obtained by ''Miami Herald'', Carina Blackmore assembled a small team including Jones to "to develop new data for a reopening plan" at the end of April 2020. When the criteria supplied by the White House showed that highly populated counties were ready to open, but not rural counties, Blackmore suggested lower populations might be held to a different standard to account for natural social distancing.<ref name="Miami Herald"/> Jones alleged that the deputy health secretary, Shamarial Roberson, then ordered Jones to manually change the data to support reopening.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloch |first=Emily |date=2021-03-11 |title=Rebekah Jones Tried to Protect Florida From COVID-19—and Then Its Governor Came After Her |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a35714647/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-19-data-whistleblower-arrest/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Cosmopolitan}}</ref><ref name="Miami Herald"/> The subsequent May 4 reopening resulted in a surge in cases,<ref name="Waldrop"/><ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Paz |first=Isabella Grullón |date=2021-06-05 |title=Florida will no longer publish daily coronavirus reports. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/world/florida-covid-19-cases-vaccine.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="nbcnews.com">{{cite web |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Florida IG report: 'Insufficient evidence' for DeSantis critic's claims of Covid cover-up |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526200556/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> but DeSantis used an external task force, not the DOH, to make recommendations on reopening. DeSantis said, "It's not up to the health department to say a 'yes' or a 'no'."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nazaryan |first1=Alexander |title=Ron DeSantis sidelined his health department. Florida paid the price. |url=https://news.yahoo.com/ron-de-santis-sidelined-his-health-department-florida-paid-the-price-090031468.html |access-date=21 January 2023 |work=Yahoo! News}}</ref><ref name="Miami Herald"/> Jones alleged on Twitter that she was ordered to delete positive test results and deaths, and that the state was hiding such data to make the pandemic seem less deadly, which ''NBC News'' called a [[conspiracy theory]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Florida IG report: 'Insufficient evidence' for DeSantis critic's claims of Covid cover-up |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526200556/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=[[NBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bustos |first1=Sergio |last2=Kennedy |first2=John |title=State investigators dismiss Rebekah Jones's claims of Florida fudging COVID-19 data |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/05/27/rebekkah-jones-report-fails-support-claims-florida-covid-19-data-doctored/9953780002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530120649/https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/05/27/rebekkah-jones-report-fails-support-claims-florida-covid-19-data-doctored/9953780002/ |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=Tallahassee Democrat}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloch |first=Emily |date=2021-03-11 |title=Rebekah Jones Tried to Protect Florida From COVID-19—and Then Its Governor Came After Her |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a35714647/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-19-data-whistleblower-arrest/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Cosmopolitan }}</ref><ref name="Fedor"/> Discrepancies in death counts from Jones's understanding of the data came from nonresident deaths, which were forwarded to the deceased's home.<ref name="time.com"/><ref name="Iati"/> DeSantis was criticized for reopening against the advice of epidemiologists.<ref name="nbcnews.com"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Higgins-Dunn |first=Noah |title=More states reverse or slow reopening plans as coronavirus cases climb |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/more-states-reverse-or-slow-reopening-plans-as-coronavirus-cases-climb.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=CNBC|date=June 29, 2020 }}</ref>
+Jones's allegations amounted to disagreements about methodology by which the state evaluated readiness to reopen. <ref name="AP">{{Cite news |last1=Farrington |first1=Brendan |last2=Calvan |first2=Bobby Caina |date=May 23, 2020 |title=Public remarks prompted Florida virus data curator's firing |work=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/eaf591c566f99175234d0d3d031777bf |url-status=live |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706173500/https://apnews.com/eaf591c566f99175234d0d3d031777bf |archive-date=July 6, 2022}}</ref><ref name="time.com">{{Cite magazine |last=Mansoor |first=Sanya |date=June 15, 2020 |title=Fired Florida Data Scientist Creates Competing COVID-19 Tracking Site and Suggests State Is Hiding Important Information |url=https://time.com/5853398/florida-fired-scientist-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |magazine=Time}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mazzei |first=Patricia |date=2020-12-11 |title=A State Scientist Questioned Florida's Virus Data. Now Her Home's Been Raided. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref><ref name="Waldrop">{{Cite web |last1=Waldrop |first1=Theresa |last2=Flores |first2=Rosa |last3=Sutton |first3=Joe |date=2020-05-20 |title=Florida and Georgia facing scrutiny for their Covid-19 data reporting |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/20/us/florida-georgia-covid-19-test-data/index.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=CNN}}</ref>  In emails obtained by ''Miami Herald'', Carina Blackmore assembled a small team including Jones to "to develop new data for a reopening plan" at the end of April 2020. When the criteria supplied by the White House showed that highly populated counties were ready to open, but not rural counties, Blackmore suggested lower populations might be held to a different standard to account for natural social distancing.<ref name="Miami Herald"/> Jones alleged that the deputy health secretary, Shamarial Roberson, then ordered Jones to manually change the data to support reopening.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloch |first=Emily |date=2021-03-11 |title=Rebekah Jones Tried to Protect Florida From COVID-19—and Then Its Governor Came After Her |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a35714647/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-19-data-whistleblower-arrest/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Cosmopolitan}}</ref><ref name="Miami Herald"/> The subsequent May 4 reopening resulted in a surge in cases,<ref name="Waldrop"/><ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Paz |first=Isabella Grullón |date=2021-06-05 |title=Florida will no longer publish daily coronavirus reports. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/world/florida-covid-19-cases-vaccine.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="nbcnews.com">{{cite web |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Florida IG report: 'Insufficient evidence' for DeSantis critic's claims of Covid cover-up |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526200556/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> but DeSantis used an external task force, not the DOH, to make recommendations on reopening. DeSantis said, "It's not up to the health department to say a 'yes' or a 'no'."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nazaryan |first1=Alexander |title=Ron DeSantis sidelined his health department. Florida paid the price. |url=https://news.yahoo.com/ron-de-santis-sidelined-his-health-department-florida-paid-the-price-090031468.html |access-date=21 January 2023 |work=Yahoo! News}}</ref><ref name="Miami Herald"/> Jones alleged on Twitter that she was ordered to delete positive test results and deaths, and that the state was hiding such data to make the pandemic seem less deadly, which ''NBC News'' called a [[conspiracy theory]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Florida IG report: 'Insufficient evidence' for DeSantis critic's claims of Covid cover-up |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526200556/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |access-date=May 26, 2022 |website=[[NBC News]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bustos |first1=Sergio |last2=Kennedy |first2=John |title=State investigators dismiss Rebekah Jones's claims of Florida fudging COVID-19 data |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/05/27/rebekkah-jones-report-fails-support-claims-florida-covid-19-data-doctored/9953780002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530120649/https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/05/27/rebekkah-jones-report-fails-support-claims-florida-covid-19-data-doctored/9953780002/ |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=Tallahassee Democrat}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloch |first=Emily |date=2021-03-11 |title=Rebekah Jones Tried to Protect Florida From COVID-19—and Then Its Governor Came After Her |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a35714647/rebekah-jones-florida-covid-19-data-whistleblower-arrest/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Cosmopolitan }}</ref><ref name="Fedor"/>   DeSantis was criticized for reopening against the advice of epidemiologists.<ref name="nbcnews.com"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Higgins-Dunn |first=Noah |title=More states reverse or slow reopening plans as coronavirus cases climb |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/more-states-reverse-or-slow-reopening-plans-as-coronavirus-cases-climb.html |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=CNBC|date=June 29, 2020 }}</ref>
+Jones filed a formal complaint in July 2020 with the Florida Commission on Human Relations for wrongful termination and misconduct of DOH officials.<ref name="nbcnews.com"/> She was granted formal whistleblower protections by the Florida Office of Inspector General in May 2021 .<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-30|title=Fired Florida employee receives whistleblower status|url=https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-pandemic-health-04d20114301ebcd1d7494a9a061eb3e7|access-date=2021-06-16|website=The Associated Press|archive-date=June 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618131046/https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-pandemic-health-04d20114301ebcd1d7494a9a061eb3e7|url-status=live}}</ref>
-Jones filed a formal complaint in July 2020 for wrongful termination and misconduct of DOH officials.<ref name="nbcnews.com"/> She was granted formal whistleblower protections by the Florida Office of Inspector General in May 2021 while investigation into her claims was ongoing.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-30|title=Fired Florida employee receives whistleblower status|url=https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-pandemic-health-04d20114301ebcd1d7494a9a061eb3e7|access-date=2021-06-16|website=The Associated Press|archive-date=June 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618131046/https://apnews.com/article/florida-coronavirus-pandemic-health-04d20114301ebcd1d7494a9a061eb3e7|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2022, the Florida Office of Inspector General reported that her claims were unsubstantiated and lacked sufficient evidence, and exonerated officials she accused of wrongdoing.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Bustos |first1=Sergio |last2=Kennedy |first2=John |title=State investigators dismiss Rebekah Jones's claims of Florida fudging COVID-19 data |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/05/27/rebekkah-jones-report-fails-support-claims-florida-covid-19-data-doctored/9953780002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530120649/https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/05/27/rebekkah-jones-report-fails-support-claims-florida-covid-19-data-doctored/9953780002/ |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=Tallahassee Democrat |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Marc Caputo]] of ''[[NBC News]]'' wrote that "the independent report paints a portrait of an employee who did not understand public health policy or the significance of epidemiological data, did not have high-level access to crucial information and leveled claims that made professional health officials 'skeptical.'"<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |title=Florida IG report: 'Insufficient evidence' for DeSantis critic's claims of Covid cover-up |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |website=[[NBC News]] |access-date=May 26, 2022 |language=en |date=May 26, 2022 |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526200556/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647 |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 26, 2022, Jones posted an altered image of a letter from the Florida Commission on Human Relations on her Instagram account, which she claimed proved that her whistleblower claims were validated. The caption read "Someone let Marc Caputo know he's a lying sack of s--t." The differences included adding a claim that she had "demonstrated a) violation of law 'which create and presents a substantial and specific danger to the public's health, safety, or welfare;' or b) actual or suspected 'gross mismanagement' as defined by the Act, …" and references to specific rules related to firing state employees. There were also inconsistencies in the text's formatting and style.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Little |first1=Jim |title=After whistleblower complaint was closed, Rebekah Jones' shared altered official letter |url=https://www.pnj.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/10/28/rebekah-jones-congressional-candidate-facing-rep-matt-gaetz-whistleblower-case-closed/10614339002/ |access-date=16 January 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/tbSRU |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |work=Pensacola News Journal |date=October 28, 2022}}</ref> She subsequently deleted the post, but maintains that the version Marc Caputo received from FCHR was the forgery.<ref name="Pensacola News Journal">{{cite news |last1=Little |first1=Jim |title=After whistleblower complaint was closed, Rebekah Jones' shared altered official letter |url=https://www.pnj.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/10/28/rebekah-jones-congressional-candidate-facing-rep-matt-gaetz-whistleblower-case-closed/10614339002/ |access-date=16 January 2023 |work=Pensacola News Journal |date=October 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/tbSRU |archive-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rebekah Jones misrepresents findings of state investigation in Instagram post |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/nov/01/rebekah-jones/rebekah-jones-misrepresents-findings-state-investi/ |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=PolitiFact |language=en-US |archive-date=November 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103001859/https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/nov/01/rebekah-jones/rebekah-jones-misrepresents-findings-state-investi/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[Pensacola News Journal]]'' verified the digital copy they received was not modified after the day it was created and mailed to Jones.<ref name="Pensacola News Journal"/>
 Jones also alleged that the governor's office was micromanaging the health department, misleading the public about the state's vaccination data, and criticized DeSantis for pushing to reopen too early. These claims and criticisms were reportedly substantiated by journalists, but were not a part of the official reports Jones filed.<ref name="Miami Herald"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chait |first=Jonathan |date=2022-04-01 |title=The Last Defense of DeSantis's Anti-Vaccine Campaign Goes Poof |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/04/last-defense-of-desantiss-anti-vaccine-campaign-goes-poof.html |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=Intelligencer |language=en-us}}</ref>
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 === Police search warrant and deferred prosecution agreement ===
 <!--[https://www.npr.org/2020/12/08/944200394/florida-agents-raid-home-of-rebekah-jones-former-state-data-scientist Police raid]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Florida Agents Raid Home Of Rebekah Jones, Former State Data Scientist|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/08/944200394/florida-agents-raid-home-of-rebekah-jones-former-state-data-scientist|access-date=2021-05-21|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref>-->
-On December 7, 2020, at 8:30&nbsp;a.m., state police executed a search warrant upon Jones' home,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Florida Agents Raid Home Of Rebekah Jones, Former State Data Scientist|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/08/944200394/florida-agents-raid-home-of-rebekah-jones-former-state-data-scientist|access-date=2021-05-21|website=NPR.org|date=December 8, 2020|language=en|last1=Chappell|first1=Bill|archive-date=May 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528010411/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/08/944200394/florida-agents-raid-home-of-rebekah-jones-former-state-data-scientist|url-status=live}}</ref> where they confiscated electronic devices including her personal phone and laptop computer. She posted video of the encounter taken from a home security camera on [[Twitter]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Chute|first=Nate|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/12/07/rebekah-jones-florida-raid-covid-19-coronavirus-dashboard-scientist-ron-desantis/6483823002/|title=Watch video of FDLE agents entering Rebekah Jones' home with guns drawn|work=[[Tallahassee Democrat]]|date=7 December 2020|access-date=2020-12-08|archive-date=May 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521103319/https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/12/07/rebekah-jones-florida-raid-covid-19-coronavirus-dashboard-scientist-ron-desantis/6483823002/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Florida Department of Law Enforcement]] said in a statement later that day that the warrant was issued because Jones was suspected of hacking into a [[Florida Department of Health]] computer system and sending an unauthorized message to members of the State Emergency Response Team on November 10, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Klas|first1=Mary Ellen|last2=Ceballos|first2=Ana|date=7 December 2020|title=Did COVID data whistleblower hack Florida's emergency alert system? Police raid home|work=[[Miami Herald]]|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article247680010.html|access-date=7 December 2020|archive-date=September 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904105514/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article247680010.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The alleged statement urged recipients to "speak up before another 17,000 people are dead".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ross|first=Allison|date=27 November 2020|title=Florida's emergency communications channel hacked, according to state official|url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/11/27/floridas-emergency-communications-channel-hacked-according-to-state-officials/|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=2020-12-08|archive-date=December 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223120605/https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/11/27/floridas-emergency-communications-channel-hacked-according-to-state-officials/|url-status=live}}</ref> In a press interview later that morning, Jones denied sending the unauthorized message. She stated that because the authorities seized only her personal electronic devices and not other electronics in her house that could have been used to send the unauthorized message, she does not think she was the target of the investigation at all, but rather that her phone was seized so authorities could identify the Florida Department of Health workers with whom she had been communicating, including her confidential sources.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/12/08/florida-raid-coronavirus-scientist-cpt-intv-rebekah-jones-vpx.cnn |title=Florida police raid home of former Covid-19 scientist |work=[[Cuomo Prime Time]] |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=8 December 2020 |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-date=December 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201112243/https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/12/08/florida-raid-coronavirus-scientist-cpt-intv-rebekah-jones-vpx.cnn |url-status=live }}</ref>
+On December 7, 2020, at 8:30&nbsp;a.m., state police raided Jones' home,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Florida Agents Raid Home Of Rebekah Jones, Former State Data Scientist|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/08/944200394/florida-agents-raid-home-of-rebekah-jones-former-state-data-scientist|access-date=2021-05-21|website=NPR.org|date=December 8, 2020|language=en|last1=Chappell|first1=Bill|archive-date=May 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528010411/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/08/944200394/florida-agents-raid-home-of-rebekah-jones-former-state-data-scientist|url-status=live}}</ref> where they confiscated electronic devices including her personal phone and laptop computer. She posted video of the encounter taken from a home security camera on [[Twitter]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Chute|first=Nate|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/12/07/rebekah-jones-florida-raid-covid-19-coronavirus-dashboard-scientist-ron-desantis/6483823002/|title=Watch video of FDLE agents entering Rebekah Jones' home with guns drawn|work=[[Tallahassee Democrat]]|date=7 December 2020|access-date=2020-12-08|archive-date=May 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521103319/https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/12/07/rebekah-jones-florida-raid-covid-19-coronavirus-dashboard-scientist-ron-desantis/6483823002/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Florida Department of Law Enforcement]] said in a statement later that day that the warrant was issued because Jones was suspected of hacking into a [[Florida Department of Health]] computer system and sending an unauthorized message to members of the State Emergency Response Team on November 10, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Klas|first1=Mary Ellen|last2=Ceballos|first2=Ana|date=7 December 2020|title=Did COVID data whistleblower hack Florida's emergency alert system? Police raid home|work=[[Miami Herald]]|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article247680010.html|access-date=7 December 2020|archive-date=September 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904105514/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article247680010.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The alleged statement urged recipients to "speak up before another 17,000 people are dead".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ross|first=Allison|date=27 November 2020|title=Florida's emergency communications channel hacked, according to state official|url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/11/27/floridas-emergency-communications-channel-hacked-according-to-state-officials/|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=2020-12-08|archive-date=December 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223120605/https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/11/27/floridas-emergency-communications-channel-hacked-according-to-state-officials/|url-status=live}}</ref> In a press interview later that morning, Jones denied sending the unauthorized message. She stated that because the authorities seized only her personal electronic devices and not other electronics in her house that could have been used to send the unauthorized message, she does not think she was the target of the investigation at all, but rather that her phone was seized so authorities could identify the Florida Department of Health workers with whom she had been communicating, including her confidential sources.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/12/08/florida-raid-coronavirus-scientist-cpt-intv-rebekah-jones-vpx.cnn |title=Florida police raid home of former Covid-19 scientist |work=[[Cuomo Prime Time]] |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=8 December 2020 |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-date=December 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201112243/https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/12/08/florida-raid-coronavirus-scientist-cpt-intv-rebekah-jones-vpx.cnn |url-status=live }}</ref>
-On January 16, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued for Jones by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement claiming she illegally breached state systems and downloaded the confidential contact information for nearly 20,000 people and sent a message to state employees telling them to "speak out." Jones stated she was not allowed to speak to the media about the charges because it could "result in the police 'stacking' additional charges".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Davis|first=Jason|date=January 16, 2021|title=Arrest warrant issued for former Florida Dept. of Health analyst Rebekah Jones|work=|publisher=[[WPTV-TV]]|url=https://www.wptv.com/news/state/arrest-warrant-issued-for-former-florida-dept-of-health-analyst-rebekah-jones|url-status=live|access-date=January 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117013959/https://www.wptv.com/news/state/arrest-warrant-issued-for-former-florida-dept-of-health-analyst-rebekah-jones|archive-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saunders |first1=Forrest |title=Experts predict challenging legal battle for former state of Florida employee Rebekah Jones |url=https://www.wptv.com/news/state/experts-predict-challenging-legal-battle-for-former-state-of-florida-employee-rebekah-jones |website=Florida Today |date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |access-date=January 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903084849/https://www.wptv.com/news/state/experts-predict-challenging-legal-battle-for-former-state-of-florida-employee-rebekah-jones |url-status=live }}</ref>  Jones turned herself in on January 18 to the police, after which she tested positive for COVID.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burnside |first1=Tina |last2=Yan |first2=Holly |title=Fired Florida data scientist Rebekah Jones turns herself in to jail and tests positive for Covid-19 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/18/us/rebekah-jones-data-scientist-surrender/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |date=January 18, 2021 |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903084842/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/18/us/rebekah-jones-data-scientist-surrender/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>  After numerous case management hearings, a trial date was set for Jones's felony charge, scheduled for January 23, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |author=WCTV Staff |title=Florida Congressional candidate Rebekah Jones to stand trial on cyber security charges after election |url=https://www.wctv.tv/2022/09/07/florida-congressional-candidate-whistleblower-rebekah-jones-stand-trial-cyber-security-charges-after-election/ |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=www.wctv.tv |date=September 7, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=December 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227213617/https://www.wctv.tv/2022/09/07/florida-congressional-candidate-whistleblower-rebekah-jones-stand-trial-cyber-security-charges-after-election/ |url-status=live }}</ref>  On December 8, 2022, she entered into a [[Deferred prosecution|deferred prosecution agreement]] to avoid trial, where among other requirements, she would have to admit guilt, pay a $20,000 fine to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, do community service, and see a mental health professional monthly.<ref>{{Cite web |author=WEAR Staff |date=2022-12-09 |title=Rebekah Jones ordered to admit guilt, pay FDLE $20K in 'deferred prosecution agreement' |url=https://weartv.com/news/local/rebekah-jones-ordered-to-admit-guilt-pay-fdle-20k-in-deferred-prosecution-agreement |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=WEAR |language=en |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209221247/https://weartv.com/news/local/rebekah-jones-ordered-to-admit-guilt-pay-fdle-20k-in-deferred-prosecution-agreement |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-12-09 |title=Rebekah Jones Avoids Trial, Admits Guilt in Plea Deal with Prosecutors |url=https://ssrnews.com/rebekah-jones-avoids-trial-admits-guilt-in-plea-deal/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=South Santa Rosa News |language=en-US |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209215741/https://ssrnews.com/rebekah-jones-avoids-trial-admits-guilt-in-plea-deal/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
+On January 16, 2021, an arrest warrant was issued for Jones by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement claiming she illegally breached state systems and downloaded the confidential contact information for nearly 20,000 people and sent a message to state employees telling them to "speak out." Jones stated she was not allowed to speak to the media about the charges because it could "result in the police 'stacking' additional charges".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Davis|first=Jason|date=January 16, 2021|title=Arrest warrant issued for former Florida Dept. of Health analyst Rebekah Jones|work=|publisher=[[WPTV-TV]]|url=https://www.wptv.com/news/state/arrest-warrant-issued-for-former-florida-dept-of-health-analyst-rebekah-jones|url-status=live|access-date=January 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117013959/https://www.wptv.com/news/state/arrest-warrant-issued-for-former-florida-dept-of-health-analyst-rebekah-jones|archive-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saunders |first1=Forrest |title=Experts predict challenging legal battle for former state of Florida employee Rebekah Jones |url=https://www.wptv.com/news/state/experts-predict-challenging-legal-battle-for-former-state-of-florida-employee-rebekah-jones |website=Florida Today |date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |access-date=January 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903084849/https://www.wptv.com/news/state/experts-predict-challenging-legal-battle-for-former-state-of-florida-employee-rebekah-jones |url-status=live }}</ref>  Jones turned herself in on January 18 to the police, after which she tested positive for COVID.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burnside |first1=Tina |last2=Yan |first2=Holly |title=Fired Florida data scientist Rebekah Jones turns herself in to jail and tests positive for Covid-19 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/18/us/rebekah-jones-data-scientist-surrender/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |date=January 18, 2021 |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903084842/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/18/us/rebekah-jones-data-scientist-surrender/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>  After numerous case management hearings, a trial date was set for Jones's felony charge, scheduled for January 23, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |author=WCTV Staff |title=Florida Congressional candidate Rebekah Jones to stand trial on cyber security charges after election |url=https://www.wctv.tv/2022/09/07/florida-congressional-candidate-whistleblower-rebekah-jones-stand-trial-cyber-security-charges-after-election/ |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=www.wctv.tv |date=September 7, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=December 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227213617/https://www.wctv.tv/2022/09/07/florida-congressional-candidate-whistleblower-rebekah-jones-stand-trial-cyber-security-charges-after-election/ |url-status=live }}</ref>  On December 8, 2022, she entered into a [[Deferred prosecution|deferred prosecution agreement]] which results in the case being dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |author=WEAR Staff |date=2022-12-09 |title=Rebekah Jones ordered to admit guilt, pay FDLE $20K in 'deferred prosecution agreement' |url=https://weartv.com/news/local/rebekah-jones-ordered-to-admit-guilt-pay-fdle-20k-in-deferred-prosecution-agreement |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=WEAR |language=en |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209221247/https://weartv.com/news/local/rebekah-jones-ordered-to-admit-guilt-pay-fdle-20k-in-deferred-prosecution-agreement |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-12-09 |title=Rebekah Jones Avoids Trial, Admits Guilt in Plea Deal with Prosecutors |url=https://ssrnews.com/rebekah-jones-avoids-trial-admits-guilt-in-plea-deal/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=South Santa Rosa News |language=en-US |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209215741/https://ssrnews.com/rebekah-jones-avoids-trial-admits-guilt-in-plea-deal/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 U.S. civil liberties watchdog [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] warned about overreliance on [[IP address]]es and called for the need to reform overbroad computer crime laws.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohn |first1=Cindy |title=Raid on COVID Whistleblower in Florida Shows the Need to Reform Overbroad Computer Crime Laws and the Risks of Over-Reliance on IP Addresses |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/raid-covid-whistleblower-florida-shows-need-reform-overbroad-computer-crime-laws |access-date=31 January 2023 |work=Electronic Frontier Foundation |date=10 December 2020}}</ref> ''[[Ars Technica]]'' and ''[[Forbes]]'' reported that the affidavit stated that the emergency alert system at the time the unauthorized message was sent used a single username and password, searchable by Google, calling into question if the act could be considered a "hack".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cox |first1=Kate |title=COVID data manager investigated, raided for using publicly available password |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/12/florida-posted-the-password-to-a-key-disaster-system-on-its-website/ |work=Ars Technica |date=9 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Reimann |first1=Nicholas |title=Fiery DeSantis Claims Gun-Drawn Police Invasion Of Former State Covid Scientist's Home Was Done 'With Honor' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2020/12/11/fiery-desantis-claims-gun-drawn-police-invasion-of-former-state-covid-scientists-home-was-done-with-honor/ |access-date=31 January 2023 |work=Forbes |date=December 11, 2020 }}</ref>
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 ===Subsequent activities===
-After her firing, Jones launched an independent COVID-19 data dashboard for the state of Florida,<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |last=Mazzei |first=Patricia |date=11 December 2020 |title=A State Scientist Questioned Florida's Virus Data. Now Her Home's Been Raided. |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220164844/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |archive-date=December 20, 2022}}</ref> which gained her a national award by ''[[Forbes]]''.<ref name="forbes" /> A Florida spokesperson criticized Jones's COVID-19 dashboard for including antibody tests, for counting virus tests with antibody tests, and for counting non-resident deaths.<ref name="wapo">{{Cite news |last=Iati |first=Marisa |date=June 16, 2020 |title=Florida fired its coronavirus data scientist. Jones is publishing the statistics on her own. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/12/rebekah-jones-florida-coronavirus/ |access-date=2020-12-08 |archive-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117160123/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/12/rebekah-jones-florida-coronavirus/ |url-status=live }}</ref>  [[Google]] and the non-profit FinMango partnered with Jones for a national project.{{efn|«she solidified a partnership with Google and nonprofit FinMango. With Google’s cloud computing and data capabilities and FinMango to help manage the project»<ref name=fortune />}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-17 |title=Monitoring, tracking and reporting COVID-19 Cases in the USA's 13,000+ school districts: A FinMango and Florida COVID Action Initiative |url=https://floridacovidaction.com/2020/08/17/finmango-partnership/ |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Florida COVID Action |language=en-US |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901114823/https://floridacovidaction.com/2020/08/17/finmango-partnership/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
+After her firing, Jones launched an independent COVID-19 data dashboard for the state of Florida,<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |last=Mazzei |first=Patricia |date=11 December 2020 |title=A State Scientist Questioned Florida's Virus Data. Now Her Home's Been Raided. |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220164844/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/florida-coronavirus-data-rebekah-jones.html |archive-date=December 20, 2022}}</ref> which gained her a national award by ''[[Forbes]]''.<ref name="forbes" />  [[Google]] and the non-profit FinMango partnered with Jones for a national project.{{efn|«she solidified a partnership with Google and nonprofit FinMango. With Google’s cloud computing and data capabilities and FinMango to help manage the project»<ref name=fortune />}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-17 |title=Monitoring, tracking and reporting COVID-19 Cases in the USA's 13,000+ school districts: A FinMango and Florida COVID Action Initiative |url=https://floridacovidaction.com/2020/08/17/finmango-partnership/ |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=Florida COVID Action |language=en-US |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901114823/https://floridacovidaction.com/2020/08/17/finmango-partnership/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 In June 2021, she was suspended from Twitter for violations of the Twitter rules on spam and platform manipulation.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite news|last=Evans|first=Zachary|date=7 June 2021|title=Twitter Suspends Fraudulent COVID Whistleblower Rebekah Jones.|work=[[Yahoo News]]|url=https://news.yahoo.com/twitter-suspends-fraudulent-covid-whistleblower-172804851.html?guccounter=1|access-date=8 June 2021|archive-date=June 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608174730/https://news.yahoo.com/twitter-suspends-fraudulent-covid-whistleblower-172804851.html?guccounter=1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Covid Whistle-blower Rebekah Jones is challenging Rep. Matt Gaetz|url=https://news.yahoo.com/covid-whistle-blower-rebekah-jones-201300869.html|access-date=2021-06-09|website=news.yahoo.com|date=June 8, 2021 |language=en-US|archive-date=June 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609204105/https://news.yahoo.com/covid-whistle-blower-rebekah-jones-201300869.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Governor DeSantis's office welcomed the suspension, with a spokesperson calling it "long overdue" and accusing Jones of spreading "defamatory conspiracy theories".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Choi|first=Joseph|date=2021-06-08|title=Rebekah Jones's Twitter account suspended, DeSantis cheers|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/557384-rebekah-jones-twitter-account-suspended-desantis-cheers|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-15|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en|archive-date=June 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615044701/https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/557384-rebekah-jones-twitter-account-suspended-desantis-cheers}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Thebault|first1=Reis|last2=Iati|first2=Marisa|date=June 7, 2021|title=DeSantis applauds fired whistleblower's Twitter suspension, the latest in an ongoing feud|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/07/rebekah-jones-twitter-desantis/|access-date=2021-06-14|archive-date=June 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610013905/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/07/rebekah-jones-twitter-desantis/|url-status=live}}</ref>
-In March 2023, Jones filed a new lawsuit against the [[Florida Department of Health]], the state Surgeon General and a former deputy secretary seeking reinstatement, back wages, compensation for [[emotional distress]] and punitive damages for being fired in May 2020. Jones claims that her [[due process]] and [[Freedom of speech|free speech]] rights were violated in retaliation for being a whistleblower.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosica |first=Jim |date=2023-03-13 |title=Years after firing, Rebekah Jones now suing state of Florida to get job back |url=https://www.cityandstatefl.com/policy/2023/03/rebekah-jones-now-suing-state-florida-get-her-job-back-covid-whistleblower-lawsuit/383944/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314013149/https://www.cityandstatefl.com/policy/2023/03/rebekah-jones-now-suing-state-florida-get-her-job-back-covid-whistleblower-lawsuit/383944/ |archive-date=2023-03-14 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=City & State FL |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lenthang |first=Marlene |date=2023-04-01 |title=Son of controversial Florida data scientist charged with making alleged school threats |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/son-controversial-florida-data-scientist-charged-making-alleged-school-rcna78653 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>
+In March 2023, Jones filed her whistleblower lawsuit against the [[Florida Department of Health]], the state Surgeon General and a former deputy secretary seeking reinstatement, back wages, compensation for [[emotional distress]] and punitive damages for being fired in May 2020. Jones claims that her [[due process]] and [[Freedom of speech|free speech]] rights were violated in retaliation for being a whistleblower.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosica |first=Jim |date=2023-03-13 |title=Years after firing, Rebekah Jones now suing state of Florida to get job back |url=https://www.cityandstatefl.com/policy/2023/03/rebekah-jones-now-suing-state-florida-get-her-job-back-covid-whistleblower-lawsuit/383944/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314013149/https://www.cityandstatefl.com/policy/2023/03/rebekah-jones-now-suing-state-florida-get-her-job-back-covid-whistleblower-lawsuit/383944/ |archive-date=2023-03-14 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=City & State FL |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lenthang |first=Marlene |date=2023-04-01 |title=Son of controversial Florida data scientist charged with making alleged school threats |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/son-controversial-florida-data-scientist-charged-making-alleged-school-rcna78653 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>
 ==2022 Congressional candidacy==

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