‘Can’t trust the information’: Nikki Fried questions Florida’s COVID-19 data

nikki fried
Nikki Fried pleads Rebekah Jones' case to national audience

Almost as frequently as Gov. Ron DeSantis gets booked on Fox News, Nikki Fried gets her shots on MSNBC. And in each, both get to message clearly to their bases and to national audiences.

Saturday’s appearance on the corporate-Democrat leaning “AM Joy” was no exception, as the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services went on the attack against the Governor’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

“People can’t trust the information,” Fried said, saying DeSantis’ approach was “right out of the Donald Trump playbook.”

Fried went on to describe a “dangerous pattern … of misinformation,” especially regarding prisons and nursing homes, two sectors prone to institutional spread.

“This is a pattern of deception we’ve seen from the Governor over and over again,” Fried said, saying that she was ‘not surprised’ Rebekah Jones, a former worker for the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, was fired for spotlighting her problems with the process.

Fried and other Democrats had this week decried Jones’ dismissal, whose whistleblower claims that the state was massaging data have been countered by an administration contention that she was fired with cause for insubordination. But what’s clear now is that the dismissal, coupled with other factors, is leading Fried and likely other Democrats to doubt the data entirely.

Fried, Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, has been marginalized by the Governor this year, both through the Legislative Session and the handling of the coronavirus.

Ahead of a Cabinet meeting this week, one that happened only after Fried asked on multiple occasions since February that one be convened, it will be interesting to see if Saturday morning’s media hit isn’t seen as another cause for grievance from the Governor.

The Commissioner expressed hopes that Surgeon General Scott Rivkees would be on hand to address her questions, but was pessimistic the Governor would allow that.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


6 comments

  • FireNikkiNow

    May 23, 2020 at 11:49 am

    Nikki Fried is nothing less than a political hack. She is AG commissioner, not a medical doctor, or someone with experience in data, especially medical data.

    It’s time to question what she has been doing in her own job, that has improved our agriculture in Florida, during her tenure.

    All we ever hear from her, is unfounded charges and criticism against Gov. DeSantis and President Trump.

    It is clearer by the day, that her only goal in life is becoming the Governor of Florida. But, doing nothing except criticism of others, is not going to work for that goal.

    She is not even worthy of the job she now has, and should stay in her own lane to help farmers and consumers in the State, rather than stick her nose in where it does not belong.

  • Frankie M.

    May 23, 2020 at 2:38 pm

    It could be said that DeSantis is not deserving of his job either. Years of riding Trump’s coattails while being upside down in his own district. He was about to be primaried before he called it quits. These two make quite a pair…get yo popcorn ready.

    Trump created Fauci to give himself credibility not the other way around. Too late to put the genie back in the bottle.

    “Democrats and conspirators (Anthony Fauci) lied to the american people”

    • John Kociuba

      May 23, 2020 at 3:48 pm

      Frankie,

      Moreover Anthony Fauci was at CDC, NIH for decades! Decades! He was always a sh#tbird Democrat and worked directly on Bill & Hillary Clinton campaigns

      Look. Jeffery Epstein had a Pedophile island and not 1 story from the same people you’re watching today.

      Billionaires love Democrats because they help them steal from U.S. Treadury. Billionaires love Rockefeller Republicans because they use the military to steal foreign resources. TAX PAYER FUNDED!

      Hon. President Donald John Trump’s Vice President Mike Pence knew about Club For Growth Republican Establishment Coup d Etat working with Demorats to commit treason. John McCain, George Bush, Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham, Paul Ryan Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio all knew it was a fraud.

      President Trump didn’t want Mike Pence as VP but disgraced RNC Leader Reince Priebus warned Trump…”take Pence or we will not help you with our ground game.” Figuratively speaking.

      Washington D.C. is a MASSIVE SH#T PIE citizens need to cut funding immediately! We don’t need Homeland Insecurity at 80 billion a year with open borders. We don’t need TSA at 20 billion a year. We can cut government by 30% and watch private sector flurish!

      No immigration for 25 years! End Unconstitutional 1964 Civil Rights Act! We have a Constitution! Enforce it without suing small businesses into oblivion.

      Illegal immigrants not only enrich our Cartel & Communist enemies but by fleecing our medical system has damaged employees but adding massive premiums which could’ve gone to employee Roth/401k matching. Yes. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a 5% to 6% average retirement matching by employers instead of 3% to 0 ?

      RESOURCES ARE FINITE! GET THE MEMO YOU STUPID BASTARDS! GET GOVERNMENT TOTALLY OUT OF TAXING RETIREMENT INVESTMENTS!

      Yes. If the Government wanted to end poverty we would have laws increasing wealth not poverty.

      • Frankie M.

        May 23, 2020 at 11:51 pm

        I noticed that you didn’t mention Fauci also worked for the last 6 Presidents? I’m pretty sure he didn’t devote his life to contagious diseases so he could get on TV and play politics. Maybe you should devote your time looking into Dr. Phil & Oz? They love the ratings!!

        p.s. What are you on? Sounds like some good shite!

  • Frankie M.

    May 23, 2020 at 11:56 pm

    How are these people ‘honorable’ again? Because they won tightly contested elections…thx electoral college!

Comments are closed.


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