DeSantis went off on COVID data manager who feared for the truth. What a big bully! | Editorial
That was quite a fit Gov. Ron DeSantis pitched in Orlando, standing next to the vice president of the United States and uncorking in front of an international audience about one Rebekah Jones, a Geographic Information Systems manager at the state Department of Health (DOH). This week, Jones, fired on Tuesday, joined the ranks of America’s 36 million newly unemployed.
DeSantis plainly has personnel problems at DOH, and he has every right to be angry about them. And he has every right to be the boss.
But he did himself, and Florida, no favors with his abusive rant against Jones, one of apparently quite a few people involved in producing and maintaining the COVID-19 Data and Surveillance “dashboard” that provides researchers and the public a real-time look at the state’s coronavirus caseload.
Praise from Birx
The database came to national prominence last month when it drew praise from Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus response team headed by Pence. That would have been a great time for the administration to learn everything there is to know about Jones and anyone else with access to and management responsibilities for the dashboard.
That didn’t happen. Rather, the database reappeared on the national stage when Jones emailed way too many people about her troubles with her supervisors. Jones, 30, is one of millions who have grown up in a world where people put every unfiltered thought in an email and on social media, where every keystroke lives forever and can be used against them for the rest of their lives.
Jones’ life may yet get better, but it might not be the same anytime soon. Especially since DeSantis also put her business in the street. He not only criticized her professionally, he outed her legal problems to the media, and the vice president.
Criminal charges
A story by Politico said that DeSantis declared: “She is also under active criminal charges in the state of Florida for cyberstalking and cyber sexual harassment. I asked the Department of Health to explain to me how someone would be allowed to be charged with that and continue on.”
It’s good question, and he deserves an answer. So do the rest of us.
Leon County court records do show that Jones is facing a criminal stalking charge. But a charge is just that, it’s not a verdict. DeSantis’ tirade in front of Pence — used to standing next to a ranting, rambling man — still was conduct unbecoming.
Plus, the governor protested a bit too much. Jones’ main concern was whether “accessibility and transparency” to COVID-19 data truly are priorities for the Department of Health — meaning for DeSantis. His administration has been anything but forthcoming in releasing timely, accurate statistics, going so far as to muzzle medical examiners.
DeSantis, too, may come to regret his mean-spirited, bully-boy free-styling. At least, we hope he does. Bosses who punch down might be feared. But they aren’t respected.
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 1:20 PM.