Florida authorities raided a home Monday after investigating an alleged hack into the state’s emergency response system, firing a woman earlier this year. COVID-19 Data curator. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Rebecca Jones, who was fired in May for unauthorized public comments about the data, has been under investigation since early November when someone illegally entered the state’s emergency warning health system.
Jones tweeted a video of Republicans entering the officers’ home, claiming that Republican Gov. Ron Desantis had “sent Gestapo” to silence him.
Jones was fired from his post in May after raising questions about Florida’s COVID-19 data. State records show that she was reprimanded several times and was eventually fired for violating health department policy by publicly commenting on this information.
Since her firing, she has lit up social media with posts criticizing Disantis and her state agencies. For months, she has tried to promote herself as a victim who was put to work to tell the truth, although there is no evidence to support her claim.
Early in the epidemic, Jones wrote blog posts and reached out to media outlets and researchers, expressing doubts about the reliability of the data that she no longer had in this role. She said health department administrators urged her to manipulate the information to draw a picture of Rosier and she pushed back. This information was crucial as the governor was trying to make a highly controversial decision on whether to reopen the Florida economy.
State health officials vehemently deny any issue with the accuracy of the information. The office of Governor Ron Descentis declined to comment Monday night, but the Republican governor has previously said that Jones had a method of “insubordination” and should have been fired sooner.
“If this happens to scientists who do their job honestly,” Jones tweeted on Monday.
A FDLA statement said agents issued a search warrant at Tallahassi’s home after receiving a complaint about unauthorized access to the health department’s emergency warning system.
“Agents believe someone illegally used the system at a residence on Centerville Court,” spokesman Great Plessinger said in a statement.
Joan initially refused to answer the door for 20 minutes and hung up when agents called her, according to the FDLA.
According to video footage posted about the incident, multiple officers who entered Jones’ home pulled out their guns. One pointed her gun at the stairs as officers urged Jones to call her husband and children downstairs. The officer lowered his weapon after Jones yelled, “Don’t let that gun go to my kids!”
CBS Miami
“They pointed guns at my face. They pointed guns at my kids,” Jones later tweeted.
It was not immediately clear if Jones’s homeowners showed the weapons to anyone.
CBS Miami reports that FDLA Commissioner Rick Schwarzenegger issued a statement saying the FDLE’s “investigation began last month following a complaint from the Florida Department of Health that a person had illegally hacked into their emergency warning system.”
Sveringenge confirmed that FDLL agents “seized several devices” at Jones’ Tellahasse home.
In an interview with CNN on Monday night, Jones refused to enter FDOH’s system.
“On my phone is every communication I’ve ever had with someone who works in the state, who has come to me with confidence and told me things that will put them out of work.” “I haven’t had any system access on DOH for over six months.”
CBS Miami said in a statement Monday night to Jones’ lawyer, Lawrence Waters, in part:
“Florida law enforcement actions captured on my client’s video show unnecessary negligence and aggressive behavior in enforcing search warrants for computers. Our client was fully cooperative but had guns on him and his family. We are concerned that these actions may affect the health department and Revenge in response to his whistleblower claim against his governor’s criticism of COVID19’s response. “
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