Twitter suspends Rebekah Jones
The announcement comes after the embattled former data scientist was kicked off Twitter. Image via Rebekah Jones.

Jones
The news garnered a quick reaction from the DeSantis administration.

Twitter on Monday suspended from its platform Rebekah Jones, a former Florida Department of Health data curator who made national headlines after being fired from the department for insubordination.

While it is unclear why Twitter suspended the account, the social media giant typically sidelines accounts after they violate “Twitter rules.”

Jones reportedly told E.W. Scripps the suspension is in response to a recent Miami Herald story she overshared. The account, she added, would likely be reinstated soon.

Jones, who helped build the state’s online presentation of its COVID-19 data, garnered national attention a year ago when she sowed doubt about the information being reported by the state when Florida was an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.

She suggested Health Department managers wanted her to manipulate information to paint a rosier picture, and she pushed back.

Notably, the allegations thrust Jones into the spotlight and pitted her against Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. In the months since Jones’ termination, media outlets have jousted over her allegations.

The DeSantis administration released a statement applauding the suspension shortly after reports began circulating, POLITICO reported.

“This decision was long overdue,” the statement said. “Rebekah Jones is the Typhoid Mary of COVID-19 disinformation and has harmed hardworking DOH employees with her defamatory conspiracy theories.”

“I hope someone will ask Ms. Jones why she thinks she got suspended — will she allege that Governor DeSantis is somehow behind Twitter’s decision? That would be deeply ironic if she tried to spin that falsehood into her conspiracy theory, given the Governor’s stance on Big Tech.”

In May, Florida provided Jones whistleblower status. The status does not substantiate Jones’ claims. It does, however, provide her with avenues.

Under the state’s whistleblower rules, Jones could be reinstated or be eligible for compensation if an investigation finds her firing was in retaliation for the the concerns she raised.

This is a developing story.

Jason Delgado

Jason Delgado covers news out of the Florida State Capitol. After a go with the U.S. Army, the Orlando-native attended the University of Central Florida and earned a degree in American Policy and National Security. His past bylines include WMFE-NPR and POLITICO Florida. He'd love to hear from you. You can reach Jason by email ([email protected]) or on Twitter at @byJasonDelgado.


5 comments

  • 23rdCenturySouth

    June 7, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    Wait a minute, I thought Ron was opposed to social media censorship!?

    Seems like his office is celebrating censorship today, instead.

    • Tom Palmer

      June 7, 2021 at 4:00 pm

      Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.

  • Tdo

    June 7, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    Fuck social media. Communist fucks.

  • Artwork

    June 7, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    She’s part of the Fauci Fraud team in Florida. Wanted to scare the crap out of everyone with the China Virus. She has nothing on DeSantis, who, by the way, has done an awesome job for the state of Florida.

    • Marva Dasef

      June 10, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Oh, dear, another medieval mind without a medical degree passing judgement on nothing s/he knows anything about. Can’t tell the gender by the artless alias, so I should really call it IT.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories