SARASOTA CONTY – A week after the home of COVID data whistle blower Rebekah Jones was raided…new information is coming to light after body cam footage of the raid was released to the public.
“Doing this to me will not stop me from reporting the data…ever,” said Rebekah Jones.
Jones the COVID-19 dashboard whistle blower find herself in the spotlight once more. This time after Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agents raided her home. After public scrutiny police body cam video was released of authorities raiding the home of Jones last week on Monday.
This sparked national outcry on Twitter and caused Sarasota based attorney Ron Filipkowski to resign his position of Commissioner and Vice Chair for the 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission as appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“I was very surprised that they were attempting to fit what she did under the computer hacker statute, which is pretty broad and can encompass a lot of things but I don’t think it was designed to encompass what they’re alleging what she did,” said Filipkowski.
In the affidavit report SNN obtained the FDLE claims the agency raided Jones’ home in search of computer hardware and electronics after a person at the residence used her email address to illegally gain access to a state-run communications platform.
“I’m not a hacker…and have no interest in reaching out to DOH,” said Jones. “I’ve been publicly telling people to come forward for months that is the way that you’d do it.”
A Marine veteran and registered Republican, Filipkowski said in his resignation he “…no longer wish[ed] to serve the current government of Florida…” He says he hopes with his public resignation more people will come forward out of the shadows.
“Nobody in Tallahassee with the exception of Rebekah Jones has spoken out and come forward, and that’s what she was urging others to do,” said Filipkowski. “Maybe if I join her in speaking out maybe other will start doing it.”
Filipkowski says he wants the office of Gov. DeSantis to no longer withhold information from the public that was recently made public by a White House Coronavirus Task Force report in which contradicts DeSantis, urging a ban on inside gatherings away from home.
A spokesperson released the following statement to SNN,
“Because of inaccurate and incomplete statements given by certain individuals, the body camera video taken from outside the home is being made available. FDLE is comfortable with the release of this video because it will not interfere with the cybercrime investigation.”