DeSantis defends Florida coronavirus response, disputes claims from fired data official

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) defended his administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday and disputed allegations by a former state employee who claims she was fired after refusing to manipulate COVID-19 data.Rebekah Jones, a data expert at the Florida Department of Health, wrote last week in an email that she was being removed from oversight of the state’s COVID-19 dashboard and warned “I would not expect the new team to…