Rebekah Jones wins Democratic primary, will take on Matt Gaetz for U.S. House seat

[TygrBright]

Source: Penascola News Journal

Democrat Rebekah Jones will face U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz in the battle for Florida's 1st Congressional District race, according to early results.

...

Jones came to national prominence during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic after she was fired from her position with the Florida Department of Health. Jones said she was fired for speaking out about what she said was the state's manipulation of COVID-19 data, while state officials said she was fired for insubordination.

Jones was granted whistleblower status by the Florida Office of Inspector General as it investigates Jones' claims.

After her firing, Jones became an outspoken critic of Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration's COVID-19 response.

Read more: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/08/23/rebekah-jones-wins-democratic-primary-face-matt-gaetz-house-florida-1st-congressional-district/10349232002/

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This makes my heart SING!!

happily,
Bright

[MontanaMama]

1. My heart is singing with you Bright.

We gotta take the good where we find it.

[electric_blue68]

2. Oh, Her?! Yaaaaay!!!

[AmBlue]

3. You and me both, Bright!!

I hope she RIPS Gaetz to pieces!! Politically speaking, of course....

[ancianita]

4. Go, Jones! Beat Matt Geatz in FL's 1st Congressional District! Help turn Florida blue! DONATE!

https://www.rebekahjonescampaign.com

[SunSeeker]

10. I just sent her $25!

[people]

5. Great!

Makes my heart sing too.

[iluvtennis]

6. Oh Happy Day

[littlemissmartypants]

7. Excellent news! Thanks, Bright. ❤️

[Phoenix61]

8. I wish she was a stronger candidate.

Although the charges she has pending are no where near as bad as the ones Gaetz has pending.

[SunSeeker]

9. She's a great candidate.

The DeSantis trumped up charge, which came in January of 2021, accused her of illegally accessing state computer systems (where she worked) to send a mass text message using the state emergency alert system to more than 1,700 people calling on state employees to speak out on COVID-19. She's a whistleblower.
DeSantis is trying criminalize the 1st Amendment. It is total crap.

Meanwhile, Gaetz is looking at child sex trafficking felonies and conspiracy involving January 6.

[PortTack]

12. Thx for clarifying...that fascist f..k deathsatan tries to bury everyone and everything he even

Slightly Opposes.

[Phoenix61]

14. Much, much better than Gaetz but not great.

https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2020-12-07/covid-19-dashboard-architect-rebekah-jones-home-raided-after-unauthorized-doh-login

“According to the probable cause affidavit, on Nov. 10, an unidentified person gained access to the department’s “StateESF-8.Planning” group and sent a message stating, “it’s time to speak up before another 17,000 people are dead. You know this is wrong. You don’t have to be a part of this. Be a hero. Speak out before it’s too late.”

The affidavit also says the users in the StateESF-8.Planning group all use the same username and passwords, but says, "once they are no longer associated...they are no longer allowed to access... the group."

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement tracked the sender’s IP address which led them to Jones’ home.”

[SunSeeker]

16. Florida Democrats want a fighter against the fascist DeSantis.

Jones received 62.54% of the vote, blowing out her primary challenger Schiller.

Jones denies the charge DeSantis' goons brought against her. As Jones' counsel stated in court in January of 2021, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found no evidence of the alleged message sent to DOH staff telling them to "speak out" on any of the devices they took from her home - the entire basis for the raid on her home in December of 2020.

Odd that any Democrat would bash the Democratic nominee against Gaetz.

[Phoenix61]

13. Except it seems she did access the system and send the message

“According to the probable cause affidavit, on Nov. 10, an unidentified person gained access to the department’s “StateESF-8.Planning” group and sent a message stating, “it’s time to speak up before another 17,000 people are dead. You know this is wrong. You don’t have to be a part of this. Be a hero. Speak out before it’s too late.”

The affidavit also says the users in the StateESF-8.Planning group all use the same username and passwords, but says, "once they are no longer associated...they are no longer allowed to access... the group."

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement tracked the sender’s IP address which led them to Jones’ home.”
https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2020-12-07/covid-19-dashboard-architect-rebekah-jones-home-raided-after-unauthorized-doh-login

So no, she’s not a great candidate.

[SunSeeker]

15. She denies the charge.

Last edited Wed Aug 24, 2022, 05:52 AM - Edit history (1)

As Jones' counsel stated in court in January of 2021, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found no evidence of the alleged message sent to DOH staff telling them to "speak out" on any of the devices they took from her home - the entire basis for the raid on her home in December of 2020.

Jones received 62.54% of the vote —21,473 votes — compared to Schiller's 12,861 votes.

62.54% of Florida Democratic primary voters in that district disagree with you regarding her not being a great candidate against Gaetz.

Your bashing of the Democratic nominee against Gaetz serves no constructive purpose. We're lucky to get any decent candidate in this deep red district, where Gaetz is favored to win even with the felonies hanging over his head.

[Phoenix61]

20. I'm not bashing anybody.

A candidate without a pending criminal case is generally considered preferable to one with a pending criminal case.

“Rebekah Jones, 30, was charged in July 2019 with stalking a former boyfriend – long before the pandemic that catapulted her into headlines and television interviews. Police said she published a 68-page document online discussing private details of her relationship with her former boyfriend, including explicit texts and nude photographs, and shared the link with him.”

“Jones said the two had a six-month affair until October 2017, and the man is the father of her daughter born in July 2018.”

https://news.wjct.org/state-news/2020-07-23/criminal-stalking-case-against-fired-fla-health-data-scientist-to-drag-into-august

There’s some info saying she was fired from FSU. Not sure about that but she did not complete her PhD so it’s possible.

None of the above is going to play well in the ultra-conservative Panhandle. Gaetz will have this running 24-7.
Like I said, not a great candidate.

[Bayard]

22. That ain't good

Sorry to hear it. All you can hope for is that people see Gaetz is worse.

[SunSeeker]

31. All of those charges, related to the bitter breakup with her Ex, were dismissed.

That is an outdated, 2 year old article that poster cited. There is only one charge pending against Rebekah Jones. It is a BS state communications charge brought by DeSantis goons to shut her up. The charge was filed 1/2021, and has sat unprosecuted ever since.

Meanwhile, Matt Gaetz is under investigation by the Justice Department for child sex trafficking, which can carry a life sentence in federal prison, and his sex party buddy Joel Greenberg is cooperating with the feds. And then there's the Jan. 6 investigation.

Here are some recent articles about Matt Gaetz:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/matt-gaetz-s-ex-girlfriend-testifies-grand-jury-sex-trafficking-n1287352

https://ktar.com/story/5153223/gaetz-friend-faces-december-sentencing-as-he-helps-in-probes/

https://news.yahoo.com/jan-6-inquiry-gaetz-among-numerous-republican-lawmakers-who-sought-pardons-from-trump-222103205.html

[SunSeeker]

24. Yes, you are bashing her.

And now you are bringing up old charges, and failing to mention that those charges were dropped. That is bashing.

And yes, this is a very conservative district, but they didn't seem to mind Gaetz taking a minor across state lines for sex or his alleged adoption of Nestor as his "son."

[Phoenix61]

25. I'm not bashing. One of the 3 charges is still pending.

There was a plea deal but when the new charges were filed the state pulled the plea deal. Gaetz is under investigation but hasn’t been charged with anything. Great candidates don’t have outstanding criminal charges. I’d like nothing better than for Gaetz to get his ass kicked but I don’t see her being the candidate to do it.

[SunSeeker]

27. You brought up 2 old charges that were dropped, yet you didn't say they were dropped.

There was no purpose in doing that. It only helps Gaetz. And now you're downplaying what Getz is facing as just an "investigation."

No candidate is perfect. Any Democratic candidate is a longshot in that district. Gaetz doesn't need your help.

[Phoenix61]

28. That's because it is just an investigation! He hasn't been

charged with anything. He may be at some point but currently he’s not. I’m well aware no candidate is perfect but most don’t have pending criminal charges. You think Gaetz doesn’t know Jones had legal issues? Really? Of course he does and he will run with them. Does it make it so much better if Jones’s pending legal case is for 1 charge instead of 3?

[SunSeeker]

30. It's not "just an investigation." It's child sex trafficking and Jan. 6 investigationS.

The federal crime of child sex trafficking can carry a term of up to life in prison. Meanwhile, Rebekah Jones has ONE politically motivated BS state charge brought by SeSantis' goons to shut her up. Yet you are trying to imbellish it by calling it "charges" when It's ONE communications-related charge that, after filing, is sitting unprosecuted for almost 2 years now. And at the same time you're downplaying what Gaetz is facing.

Gaetz will of course lie about her. He would lie about anyone who runs against him. So what? That's how Republicans run. But YOU, a Democrat, are saying she has "charges" pending. You are bringing up charges following a bitter breakup with an Ex and failing to mention they were all dismissed. You posted a 2 year old article that does not note those charges were dismissed.

Here's some RECENT articles about Gaetz:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/matt-gaetz-s-ex-girlfriend-testifies-grand-jury-sex-trafficking-n1287352

https://ktar.com/story/5153223/gaetz-friend-faces-december-sentencing-as-he-helps-in-probes/

https://news.yahoo.com/jan-6-inquiry-gaetz-among-numerous-republican-lawmakers-who-sought-pardons-from-trump-222103205.html

Try to focus and remember who we are fighting here. Hint: it's not Rebekah Jones.

[TexasBushwhacker]

21. Meanwhile, FL has the highest cases per million of any large state

and currently has 242K active cases, 3rd highest behind CA and TX. They also have the 3rd highest number of deceased at almost 80K.

[Phoenix61]

23. The worst part of the high death count is places

like NY got hit early in the pandemic before vaccines and/or treatments were available. A lot of the deaths in Florida are due to low vaccination rates. The Florida Surgeon General is a whack job who was shooting for herd immunity.
“Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo, speaking at a roundtable Monday with Gov. Ron DeSantis and medical professionals who oppose much of the CDC’s recommendations, did not elaborate. Two others who participated in the discussion were Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor of medicine, and biostatistician Martin Kuldorff. Both were the chief signatories of the Great Barrington Declaration, which calls for a hands-off approach toward managing the pandemic and instead advocates for natural “herd immunity.””
https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2022/03/07/florida-surgeon-general-covid-vaccines-00014702

This is the current data for deaths.
Characteristic Number of deaths per 100,000 people
Mississippi 428
Arizona 425
Oklahoma 414
Alabama 408
West Virginia 402
Tennessee 399
New Mexico 397
Arkansas 392
New Jersey 387
Louisiana 381
Michigan 377
Kentucky 370
Georgia 370
Florida 367
NY is at 364
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1109011/coronavirus-covid19-death-rates-us-by-state/

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. Herd immunity enough OTHER PEOPLE got vaccinated!

I understand some people have immune system disorders and either vaccines just don't work or their immune system goes into hyper mode and reacts too much. I understand when those people don't get vaccinated and hope that herd immunity will protect them.

But since COVID-19 keeps generating variants, we aren't going to reach herd immunity EVER. The best we can hope for is to do our part and get vaxxed and boosted and isolate if we do get sick. Hopefully the vaccines and boosters will keep us out of the hospital and the morgue.

[TeamProg]

11. Sweeet ! She's very sharp. nt

[oldsoftie]

17. Don't know how that District votes, but I'd love to see his ass FIRED.

[DuaneT]

32. I live in district 1 and I'd love to see Jones defeat Gaetz but the district is overwhelmingly

republican and the percentage are ex military that are alt right. For Jones to win she would need all of Schiller's, Lombardo, Merck and NPA voters. She won't get them because Lombardo and Merck are pretty much trumper's. The veteran's love him even though Gaetz has shit on them time and time again and in the past 6 years hasn't really done a damn thing for this district. Same people who are screaming for change but always vote the same shit back into office.

[wolfie001]

18. She's a very brave woman!!!

Best of luck to her!

[llashram]

19. "insubordination"

for speaking truth to power. I do want to see Gaetz humiliated so he can slither back to the sewer he came from and one of these days Boebart and MTG.

[pressbox69]

29. LETS GO RJ

and go to hell sex slaver pimp Matt Gaetz. WARNING: The surgeon general has determined that voting for Matt Gaetz is dangerous to your health.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

33. This makes me smile

Link to tweet