Charles Cooke on Rebekah Jones: ‘I Discovered Deceit and Deception’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT BRZEZINSKI At ░░░░░░░░ height of the Covid ░░░░░░░░ came a major allegation ░░░░░░░░ of Florida that the ░░░░░░░░ was underreporting Coronavirus cases ░░░░░░░░ deaths It was made ░░░░░░░░ an employee at the ░░░░░░░░ s Department of health ░░░░░░░░ Jones The raid of ░░░░░░░░ home quickly went viral ░░░░░░░░ she claimed the governor ░░░░░░░░ out to get her ░░░░░░░░ new reporting alleges she ░░░░░░░░ had access to change ░░░░░░░░ data as she claimed ░░░░░░░░ was actually fired for ░░░░░░░░ following company policy Joining ░░░░░░░░ now senior writer for ░░░░░░░░ National Review Charles Cooke ░░░░░░░░ latest reporting is entitled ░░░░░░░░ Jones the Covid whistle ░░░░░░░░ who wasn t Also ░░░░░░░░ us Dave Aronberg who ░░░░░░░░ also looking into this ░░░░░░░░ Charlie so everybody followed ░░░░░░░░ first round of these ░░░░░░░░ you know the Sun ░░░░░░░░ and other Florida papers ░░░░░░░░ talking about this whistle ░░░░░░░░ we had the dramatic ░░░░░░░░ I know back in ░░░░░░░░ think it was November ░░░░░░░░ December we covered the ░░░░░░░░ few stories And then ░░░░░░░░ sort of disappeared at ░░░░░░░░ for us But you ░░░░░░░░ it s continued the ░░░░░░░░ has continued and you ░░░░░░░░ that she wasn t ░░░░░░░░ whistle blower That in ░░░░░░░░ you she s a ░░░░░░░░ Walk us through it ░░░░░░░░ Well this is a ░░░░░░░░ segment following your previous ░░░░░░░░ that the election was ░░░░░░░░ This story has been ░░░░░░░░ over the Internet You ░░░░░░░░ comment on Florida s ░░░░░░░░ response without hearing It ░░░░░░░░ been shared by Nikki ░░░░░░░░ who s running for ░░░░░░░░ By Joy Reid and ░░░░░░░░ Maddow by Chris Cuomo ░░░░░░░░ CNN And it s ░░░░░░░░ widespread enough that Jones ░░░░░░░░ raised 500 000 off ░░░░░░░░ it And it s ░░░░░░░░ to me that nobody ░░░░░░░░ really looked into this ░░░░░░░░ while this has poised ░░░░░░░░ millions of minds it ░░░░░░░░ easily rebuttable looking at ░░░░░░░░ information I didn t ░░░░░░░░ my piece by stalking ░░░░░░░░ in parking lots at ░░░░░░░░ 00 in the morning ░░░░░░░░ witnesses I just read ░░░░░░░░ that were publicly available ░░░░░░░░ when you do that ░░░░░░░░ find out this is ░░░░░░░░ a political disrespect Rebekah ░░░░░░░░ is using claims that ░░░░░░░░ be rebutted SCARBOROUGHL Well ░░░░░░░░ us the facts COOKE ░░░░░░░░ makes some claims She ░░░░░░░░ the claim that Dr ░░░░░░░░ Robeson told her to ░░░░░░░░ the raw data It ░░░░░░░░ t happen Not least ░░░░░░░░ she didn t have ░░░░░░░░ capacity to do that ░░░░░░░░ has nothing to do ░░░░░░░░ that She claims she ░░░░░░░░ fired for refusing to ░░░░░░░░ the numbers That s ░░░░░░░░ phrase you hear a ░░░░░░░░ She wasn t She ░░░░░░░░ fired for insubordination as ░░░░░░░░ personnel file which is ░░░░░░░░ makes clear She claims ░░░░░░░░ revenge for telling the ░░░░░░░░ governor Ron DeSantis sent ░░░░░░░░ after her that s ░░░░░░░░ words but that s ░░░░░░░░ Her house was searched ░░░░░░░░ records from Comcast shows ░░░░░░░░ a computer that used ░░░░░░░░ IP address had hacked ░░░░░░░░ the state s system ░░░░░░░░ downloaded private personnel information ░░░░░░░░ 19 000 state employees ░░░░░░░░ she alleged all sorts ░░░░░░░░ misbehavior from the Florida ░░░░░░░░ of law enforcement which ░░░░░░░░ camera footage shows wasn ░░░░░░░░ true I mean in ░░░░░░░░ more broad sense she ░░░░░░░░ all sorts of epidemiological ░░░░░░░░ that don t stand ░░░░░░░░ to scrutiny or that ░░░░░░░░ designed to mislead I ░░░░░░░░ a long time looking ░░░░░░░░ this And at every ░░░░░░░░ I discovered that rather ░░░░░░░░ this being a scandal ░░░░░░░░ it would be this ░░░░░░░░ be one of the ░░░░░░░░ political scandals in American ░░░░░░░░ I discovered deceit and ░░░░░░░░ and sophistry And here ░░░░░░░░ the thing again so ░░░░░░░░ anyone else that bothers ░░░░░░░░ investigate this There is ░░░░░░░░ special about me SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ I think we think ░░░░░░░░ re special although you ░░░░░░░░ not wearing a scarf ░░░░░░░░ of course you shouldn ░░░░░░░░ in Florida this time ░░░░░░░░ year There was one ░░░░░░░░ I didn t really ░░░░░░░░ I certainly got you ░░░░░░░░ your arguments out clearly ░░░░░░░░ didn t quite follow ░░░░░░░░ dramatic footage from the ░░░░░░░░ you said was you ░░░░░░░░ said it was set ░░░░░░░░ or something like that ░░░░░░░░ is your argument about ░░░░░░░░ police raid where you ░░░░░░░░ that she I think ░░░░░░░░ used I don t ░░░░░░░░ to misquote you here ░░░░░░░░ you said it was ░░░░░░░░ sort of set it ░░░░░░░░ What were you talking ░░░░░░░░ there What are we ░░░░░░░░ at when we show ░░░░░░░░ video COOKE She didn ░░░░░░░░ set it up She ░░░░░░░░ put a sign saying ░░░░░░░░ hire me in front ░░░░░░░░ the camera before the ░░░░░░░░ arrived which suggests that ░░░░░░░░ wasn t too surprised ░░░░░░░░ she made claims that ░░░░░░░░ weren t true She ░░░░░░░░ a lawsuit that had ░░░░░░░░ be rescinded and all ░░░░░░░░ local papers here once ░░░░░░░░ body cam footage put ░░░░░░░░ what she claims doesn ░░░░░░░░ stand up She claims ░░░░░░░░ the police used Gestapo ░░░░░░░░ tactics from a Miami ░░░░░░░░ op ed that she ░░░░░░░░ and that they pointed ░░░░░░░░ at her children While ░░░░░░░░ body cam footage which ░░░░░░░░ released by the Florida ░░░░░░░░ of law enforcement shows ░░░░░░░░ that s not true ░░░░░░░░ the idea that this ░░░░░░░░ somehow revenge for telling ░░░░░░░░ truth is ridiculous I ░░░░░░░░ this is a felony ░░░░░░░░ She has been arrested ░░░░░░░░ turned herself in in ░░░░░░░░ She s awaiting trial ░░░░░░░░ a felony charge for ░░░░░░░░ and downloading information from ░░░░░░░░ computer systems That has ░░░░░░░░ to do with her ░░░░░░░░ which was for insubordination ░░░░░░░░ she s currently awaiting ░░░░░░░░ trials in Florida one ░░░░░░░░ a misdemeanor stalking charge ░░░░░░░░ for a felony for ░░░░░░░░ And you know there ░░░░░░░░ just no reason for ░░░░░░░░ state to ignore that ░░░░░░░░ because she has made ░░░░░░░░ claims elsewhere SCARBOROUGH Dave ░░░░░░░░ what can you tell ░░░░░░░░ It s certainly not ░░░░░░░░ your jurisdiction I m ░░░░░░░░ suggesting that it is ░░░░░░░░ what can you tell ░░░░░░░░ about these claims and ░░░░░░░░ claims that have been ░░░░░░░░ ARONBERG Good morning Joe ░░░░░░░░ Jones is an imperfect ░░░░░░░░ He s had her ░░░░░░░░ But she s not ░░░░░░░░ first to accuse Governor ░░░░░░░░ of a lack of ░░░░░░░░ Months before she was ░░░░░░░░ before the department of ░░░░░░░░ months before she became ░░░░░░░░ whistle blower the Sun ░░░░░░░░ newspaper came out with ░░░░░░░░ scathing expose entitled secrecy ░░░░░░░░ spin how Florida s ░░░░░░░░ misled the public on ░░░░░░░░ Covid 19 pandemic And ░░░░░░░░ accused the governor of ░░░░░░░░ data that was unfavorable ░░░░░░░░ his administration dispensing dangerous ░░░░░░░░ and promoting the views ░░░░░░░░ political hacks instead of ░░░░░░░░ public health officials And ░░░░░░░░ said that he hid ░░░░░░░░ about the spread of ░░░░░░░░ in nursing homes prisons ░░░░░░░░ hospitals And that the ░░░░░░░░ s calculation of its ░░░░░░░░ rate was different than ░░░░░░░░ methods used in most ░░░░░░░░ states and that it ░░░░░░░░ the negative tests and ░░░░░░░░ came up with a ░░░░░░░░ positivity rate compared to ░░░░░░░░ states And they also ░░░░░░░░ that the state knew ░░░░░░░░ had Covid here as ░░░░░░░░ as January of 2020 ░░░░░░░░ cases by February of ░░░░░░░░ year So all of ░░░░░░░░ stuff is fair game ░░░░░░░░ of this stuff deserves ░░░░░░░░ And none of it ░░░░░░░░ with Rebekah Jones SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ of it certainly does ░░░░░░░░ scrutiny And this is ░░░░░░░░ that was running against ░░░░░░░░ DeSantis you bring up ░░░░░░░░ let s just talk ░░░░░░░░ Rebekah Jones here since ░░░░░░░░ has she s raising ░░░░░░░░ and she s still ░░░░░░░░ some circles being seen ░░░░░░░░ some victim You say ░░░░░░░░ an imperfect messenger Again ░░░░░░░░ can separate this out ░░░░░░░░ Ron DeSantis Do you ░░░░░░░░ with Charles though that ░░░░░░░░ should stop using her ░░░░░░░░ a source for any ░░░░░░░░ on Ron DeSantis and ░░░░░░░░ he responded to the ░░░░░░░░ crisis ARINBERG Joe she ░░░░░░░░ that she was told ░░░░░░░░ she was at the ░░░░░░░░ of health to cook ░░░░░░░░ books To put forth ░░░░░░░░ information and she refused ░░░░░░░░ do so There has ░░░░░░░░ been any corroboration of ░░░░░░░░ claims Rebekah Johnson would ░░░░░░░░ that s because the ░░░░░░░░ who work at the ░░░░░░░░ of health are fearful ░░░░░░░░ their health and don ░░░░░░░░ want to end up ░░░░░░░░ her But I would ░░░░░░░░ Charlie s point there ░░░░░░░░ not been krox and ░░░░░░░░ deserves attention But the ░░░░░░░░ picture of Ron DeSantis ░░░░░░░░ politicization of the pandemic ░░░░░░░░ real He s the ░░░░░░░░ that ignored our public ░░░░░░░░ officials and lied on ░░░░░░░░ Scott at last who ░░░░░░░░ the one who advised ░░░░░░░░ President Trump That s ░░░░░░░░ Florida was one of ░░░░░░░░ 11 states not to ░░░░░░░░ a mandatory mask mandate ░░░░░░░░ there s the curious ░░░░░░░░ of the medical examiners ░░░░░░░░ had data that showed ░░░░░░░░ our state s deaths ░░░░░░░░ higher than the state ░░░░░░░░ data And to remedy ░░░░░░░░ discrepancy the state of ░░░░░░░░ ordered the medical examiners ░░░░░░░░ stop publishing their data ░░░░░░░░ guess under the principle ░░░░░░░░ if you close eyes ░░░░░░░░ problem goes away That ░░░░░░░░ undone because of political ░░░░░░░░ They allowed the medical ░░░░░░░░ to publish their information ░░░░░░░░ not before a lot ░░░░░░░░ it was redacted And ░░░░░░░░ state s medical chair ░░░░░░░░ this was a sham ░░░░░░░░ there s a reason ░░░░░░░░ the state of Florida ░░░░░░░░ a million doses of ░░░░░░░░ drug hydroxychloroquine Because Donald ░░░░░░░░ promoted and it Governor ░░░░░░░░ went out and got ░░░░░░░░ So we re stuck ░░░░░░░░ a drug that no ░░░░░░░░ wants But in case ░░░░░░░░ s a malaria outbreak ░░░░░░░░ ll be set SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ my friend BRZEZINSKI We ░░░░░░░░ protected from malaria SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ don t want to ░░░░░░░░ you on the cross ░░░░░░░░ stand but I must ░░░░░░░░ you again all of ░░░░░░░░ may be true And ░░░░░░░░ newspapers and if political ░░░░░░░░ want to ask that ░░░░░░░░ then they ask those ░░░░░░░░ and continue to ask ░░░░░░░░ questions that s a ░░░░░░░░ campaign But when it ░░░░░░░░ to Rebekah Jones should ░░░░░░░░ stop holding her up ░░░░░░░░ some icon as some ░░░░░░░░ blower if in fact ░░░░░░░░ is a federalist who ░░░░░░░░ this up And should ░░░░░░░░ be just as concerned ░░░░░░░░ spreading misinformation as we ░░░░░░░░ Republicans should be ARONBERG ░░░░░░░░ think it s important ░░░░░░░░ we scrutinize her claims ░░░░░░░░ there was no proof ░░░░░░░░ she was told to ░░░░░░░░ information I Will Grant ░░░░░░░░ that But I think ░░░░░░░░ you go look through ░░░░░░░░ Sun Sentinel and other ░░░░░░░░ that say hey there ░░░░░░░░ legitimate information that this ░░░░░░░░ in Tallahassee suppressed data ░░░░░░░░ But again counselor you ░░░░░░░░ going off point I ░░░░░░░░ just asking about this ░░░░░░░░ witness on the stand ░░░░░░░░ we want this particular ░░░░░░░░ on the stand or ░░░░░░░░ you take her off ░░░░░░░░ stand You ve said ░░░░░░░░ three times there s ░░░░░░░░ corroborating witnesses that agree ░░░░░░░░ her story right ARONBERG ░░░░░░░░ As a prosecutor I ░░░░░░░░ not put her on ░░░░░░░░ stand If that s ░░░░░░░░ you re trying to ░░░░░░░░ at And we had ░░░░░░░░ discussion when the details ░░░░░░░░ out of the raid ░░░░░░░░ greed with Charlie that ░░░░░░░░ raid I think police ░░░░░░░░ not act properly When ░░░░░░░░ come into a strange ░░░░░░░░ where they were forced ░░░░░░░░ stand outside for 22 ░░░░░░░░ and not let in ░░░░░░░░ can see why they ░░░░░░░░ a Litt perturbed and ░░░░░░░░ guns drawn because they ░░░░░░░░ t know what was ░░░░░░░░ on around that corner ░░░░░░░░ thought that was a ░░░░░░░░ strange but I wouldn ░░░░░░░░ use this as an ░░░░░░░░ argument to say that ░░░░░░░░ is hunky dory in ░░░░░░░░ state of Florida SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ BRZEZINSKI For sure SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ I m sure Charles ░░░░░░░░ re you re going ░░░░░░░░ the point of Rebecca ░░░░░░░░ more specifically right COOKE ░░░░░░░░ hope your audience can ░░░░░░░░ what your guest is ░░░░░░░░ here as you ve ░░░░░░░░ out which is trying ░░░░░░░░ every point to avoid ░░░░░░░░ about the topic this ░░░░░░░░ But if you want ░░░░░░░░ broaden it out we ░░░░░░░░ do so Rebecca Jones ░░░░░░░░ immediately after having been ░░░░░░░░ I m quoting here ░░░░░░░░ the Associated Press which ░░░░░░░░ that she had not ░░░░░░░░ any tampering of her ░░░░░░░░ deaths hospital system surveillance ░░░░░░░░ for Covid 19 numbers ░░░░░░░░ new and confirmed cases ░░░░░░░░ overall test rates And ░░░░░░░░ the Associated Press she ░░░░░░░░ that Florida has been ░░░░░░░░ transparent The guy who ░░░░░░░░ the Florida emergency management ░░░░░░░░ for Covid Jared Moskowitz ░░░░░░░░ s not a Republican ░░░░░░░░ fact he s a ░░░░░░░░ Democrat who was in ░░░░░░░░ Florida legislature as a ░░░░░░░░ and describes himself as ░░░░░░░░ Progressive has said that ░░░░░░░░ she has alleged is ░░░░░░░░ conspiracy theory It is ░░░░░░░░ good to try to ░░░░░░░░ well she may not ░░░░░░░░ reliable but or to ░░░░░░░░ to broaden this out ░░░░░░░░ to try to smear ░░░░░░░░ state s response with ░░░░░░░░ This is a conspiracy ░░░░░░░░ There are political objections ░░░░░░░░ the way that Florida ░░░░░░░░ run There are of ░░░░░░░░ legitimate People in America ░░░░░░░░ different political views I ░░░░░░░░ a conservative I suspect ░░░░░░░░ other guest is not ░░░░░░░░ s fine But what ░░░░░░░░ are talking here about ░░░░░░░░ whether or not the ░░░░░░░░ theory about Florida s ░░░░░░░░ is true S is ░░░░░░░░ Florida has been transparent ░░░░░░░░ the sunshine law makes ░░░░░░░░ it is transparent And ░░░░░░░░ numbers are kosher SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ Cooke thank you so ░░░░░░░░ And my other guest ░░░░░░░░ my friend Dave Aronberg ░░░░░░░░ will give you the ░░░░░░░░ word Go ahead ARONBERG ░░░░░░░░ you Just real quickly ░░░░░░░░ have to take issue ░░░░░░░░ has not been fully ░░░░░░░░ anit s not just ░░░░░░░░ Jones that says so ░░░░░░░░ deserves all the scrutiny ░░░░░░░░ there s a larger ░░░░░░░░ at play here Admittedly ░░░░░░░░ don t make my ░░░░░░░░ a prosecutor I m ░░░░░░░░ to the facts SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ me say this BRZEZINSKI ░░░░░░░░ think you are charming ░░░░░░░░ You wandered off into ░░░░░░░░ field once or twice ░░░░░░░░ you want to be ░░░░░░░░ charming as Charles you ░░░░░░░░ to wear the scarf ░░░░░░░░ come back please We ░░░░░░░░ you being on having ░░░░░░░░ respectful conversation Let s ░░░░░░░░ it up BRZEZINSKI If ░░░░░░░░ replay this and take ░░░░░░░░ Dave said and take ░░░░░░░░ word but out and ░░░░░░░░ and in it will ░░░░░░░░ sense Two things can ░░░░░░░░ true at once She ░░░░░░░░ a bad witness Bad ░░░░░░░░ happened.”