I thought a lot about how to make this announcement. In true “Rebekah Jones fashion,” I’ll just come out and say it:
I will be leaving Florida next month.
After the raid on my home, I can no longer justify staying in the state.
I am not abandoning Florida. I am not abandoning this project. I will continue to do this work after I move until it is no longer needed, as I’ve always promised.
The governor of Florida seems have an irrational and passionate hatred for who I am and what I represent: defiance in the name of science of human decency.
He crossed a line involving my family. The depravity of having his personal police force storm my house and point guns at my young children cannot be overstated.
That action may very well become a life-changing moment for my son, who at only 11 years old had multiple police officers pointing guns at him.
We were kept in our living room for hours while police went through our things – an armed babysitter not allowing us to leave the room.
My family is no longer safe living in this state, and I cannot and will not ask them to make sacrifices of that magnitude for the work I am doing.
My team of amazing lawyers are working to hold the police and the governor accountable for these actions.
Despite the raid on my home and my family, my greatest concern is not about police intimidating whistleblowers.
Science has been at war with politics in this country since its founding. We’re barked at for getting pulled into the fight, but if we can not be advocates for our own work, then we can not sit back and expect other people to become advocates in our absence.
I saw first-hand how information is manipulated for the advancement of an agenda completely departed from the facts. I refused to be a part of it.
It reminds be a lot of the history of science related to smoking and cigarettes.
There have been many great books written about this topic, but if you’re able, get a copy of Merchants of Doubt, by Oreskes and Conway.
I wrote a short piece below about that fight, and I hope you take the time to read it. It exemplifies the struggle of scientists against political forces.
Franz Herman Muller, Eberhard Chairer, Eric Schoniger, Ernst Wynder, Evarts Graham, Rochard Doll, Bradford Hill, Raymond Pearl, Alton Ochsner, Charles Cameron and others were among the early researchers of the tobacco-cancer link. Their names are not well-known, but they put into motion all of the research that ultimately saved millions and millions of lives from cancer-related illness.
Alton Ochsner, another researcher looking at the cancer-linked, was stabbed in the back by his own colleagues for being “an anti-smoking enthusiast,” as if being an advocate of his research findings somehow made those findings illegitimate.
Cigarette companies had their own medical researchers who claimed smoking was great for your health – literally. Even Harvard University speculated as to why the research might be wrong.
Influential doctors like James Walsh made outrageous statements about how they knew healthy people who smoked and that the entire medical field had no reason to spend its vast resources researching the emerging science on the smoking-cancer link.
In 1952, emerging research on the link between cancer and smoking broke through the academic-public barrier after a widely-shared article in Reader’s Digest was published. There was a sharp decline in cigarette sales, but it was temporary, and cigarette companies began stepping up their marketing and lobbying to protect sales.
In 1955, Dr. Charles Cameron, medical and scientific director of the American Cancer Society, published a best-selling book detailing the connections between smoking and cancer, and offering preventative measures. For his efforts, he and other leaders in medical research were harassed, threatened and even fired from their positions.
Cigarette-funded “scientists” called into question the quality of data being used. They said they had never met someone who had died from cancer due to smoking. They dismissed researchers as being “fear mongers.” Sound familiar?
Here’s a great excerpt from The Atlantic about how politics interfered with the science:
“Politics also played an important role. In “The Quiet Victory of the Tobacco Lobby: How It Found the Best Filter Yet—Congress” (September 1965), Elizabeth Drew explained how business people with vested interests in the tobacco industry were exploiting their high-level political connections to influence tobacco-related government policies. And in a 1992 article, France: An Ambivalent War Against Smoking,” Judson Gooding discussed how similar factors were then operating in France to stymie anti-smoking legislation. In this case, he explained, the vested interests resided not with outside lobbyists, but, paradoxically, within the government itself, which owned the nation’s cigarette-manufacturing monopoly and reaped substantial tax revenues from cigarettes.”
An article published in 2011 actually calculated the profit made for cigarette companies per each person who is killed from their products: $10,000.
A cigarette company profits $10,000 for each person they kill.
Today, we’d view anyone who denies the link between cancer and smoking as a moron, and smoking is generally frowned upon (as it should be). But it took decades of fighting the cigarette lobby and congress to get that information out to the public, and then turn it into legislation.
The same people who led the misinformation campaigns about smoking and cancer would later lead the disinformation campaigns against climate change science, using the same tactics to undermine the global body of research showing the definitive link between man and global warming.
Thank you for your dedication to honest data reporting.
Good luck in your future.
Thank you, your site was the only one I Trusted. Please let us know once you continue with your work once you have relocated. Stay safe. Your son may never forget that scary moment but he will always know that his mom dare to speak the truth. And for that he will always be grateful. Sending hugs your way. Stay safe.
You are one brave woman. Thank you for all you have done and what you will continue to do.
I admire your tenacity and courage to speak the truth FOR THE PEOPLE. I wish you the best wherever you and your family may go. Continue your work. There are few among you of your caliber.
Thank you for your dedication to getting the facts of Covid out to us, the citizens of Florida. Thank you for standing up to the bullies of the political world. Thank you for continuing to report the facts. Your site is the only one I trust. I am sorry you and your family had to go through what you did. Best if luck in your move.
Stay safe and have a great holiday!
Sorry you are leaving but I totally understand. Good luck to you & your family.
Thank you for everything you have done. I hope you will consider writing your own story as you’ve been such an inspiration to millions, speaking truth to power in a time when truth was too often labelled “Fake News”. If you do, I hope you’ll contact me. Stay safe.
Thank you for your corageous work.
Thank you for the dedication and all effort you put in this project. God protects you and your family – never forget this please. Though I have only known of you through the interviews on TV, you are truly a public servant at heart and will be missed…not many nowadays who truly care for the welfare and health of others. God opens doors and I am most certain that he will provide and compensate in your new journey. Happy Holidays to you and your family you will be missed. Thank you for all you have done, the awareness and devotion.
Thank you for your work and telling us the truth. Be safe!
Hopefully, You will return to Florida some day soon. We can not afford to lose folks with your talents.
I was wondering why you sued for only $100,000 when a more appropriate amount would have been at least 5 million from each actor. And, of course, the breadth of the suit should have been every single actor in the event from beginning to end. I believe every one involved should be removed from office or removed from government employment. No one is allowed to follow illegal orders no matter who gives the order from president to individual soldier nor should they be.
I appreciate the good work you are doing and wish you continued success.
Wally Turner
Thank you for your honest work, your ethics and your dedication. We need more people like you that have the courage to speak up and stand for what is right.
Thank you for your honest work, your ethics and your dedication. We need more people like you that have the courage to speak up and stand up for what is right.
Keep in touch & good luck! Your contribution has been appreciated. Don’t give up to the bastards
Thank you for your loyalty to science esteemed ethics. I used your dashboard to help our condo association board arrive at their decision to close the clubhouse and set metrics to be set before opening. I continue to peruse your site thoroughly daily. I wish you and your family peace, health, and well being on your journey.
Thank you for your bravery. Best wishes for quickly finding a much safer home.
Thank you for your clear and concise data and thoughts on life, family, politics, and Covid 19. I would leave, too if I were you. I would leave also, but will wait and see how bad it gets.
Good luck and you have a rooting fan club at my home in Loxahatchee.
Deborah Smith
Thank you for everything you have done to keep us safe. Your site is the only one I ever trusted and I hope your lawyers take them to the cleaners. Good luck, stay safe and healthy! Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas!
Kathy Wilson
😇
🙏 Thanks to you and your family, and all those who do the right thing. We can take some comfort in knowing science always prevails. Just takes a bit. All the best for you and yours.
Sincerely, Roy.
Ps. It’s a way of life.
Dear Rebekah, my heart was broken when I read what these thugs did to you and your family. I’m so sorry you have to relocate, but I know in the long run that will be best for your children so they can heal. I’m glad you will keep working on getting the truth out to everyone about the virus. You are a formidable talented woman and a great role model for leaders who should follow your example! If there is a way now to donate money to help you and/or the project I would like to contribute. Good luck to you and your family. Thanks for taking the time to write to your faithful supporters ❤️
I have been concerned for you and your family. My family was targeted in Hillsborough County, Florida, starting in 2006 and we have lived a nightmare for 14 years. So many witnessed this and were also terrified by what they saw public agencies do or not do. Prior to that we had a happy and stable home of 28 years in Lutz, Florida. Being a single mother I was not able to relocate with my family, they took all of my resources.
Twin serial predators started stalking me then my family in 2006, then the murders of my family members happened in Hernando County, Fl. Then more injuries and more terror. It was shocking that at each step public agencies were refusing to act.I had no idea what was happening to us, then the political connections got broader and broader. That is when what I initially thought was domestic stalking, was realized as targeted state terrorism.
In 2019, (February 21), Hillsborough County, Florida, 3 men not in uniform with badges showed up at my door threatening to kick it in if I did not open it with multiple undercover vehicles caused a huge scene and terrified me. They handcuffed me did not read me rights, did not tell me why I was being arrested, took me to jail, then said whoops and took me back home dropped me off several hours later.Friends and family were trying to find me and were told I was not at the jail (Orient Road) and there was no record of my arrest. I thought they were going to kill me. This was after reaching out to FBI and FDLE for help again (documented). A FBI task force agent was working with me just prior.
So, stalking of my family started 2006, murders 2006. In 2008, they wrongfully arrested my teen son and falsified the arrest documents. They falsified many witness documents fabricated and concealed/tampered with evidence and witnesses obstructing justice in the double homicide of my family and have refused to ever act on the twin serial predators who started stalking. Six months after my son was wrongfully arrested my brother was brain injured. As time has gone on it is more transparent this is systemic domestic terrorism. However, in the beginning it was difficult to discern what was happening. There were consistent tragedies. It is awful.
PI’s were hired to find me. I was not as fortunate to know I was targeted as fast as you are. Get out, get to safety and spare your children their wrath. I wish I could have. They attacked us so heavily and fast that I did not have time to realize what was happening. Nor did I realize why at first. I also stumbled into something trying to do the right thing without any realization of what I was exposed to or the danger that lurked.
Now it is federal involving another state involved by same actors again creating false allegations harassing me. My children were preyed on at school by public officials. My family members were murdered, injured, harassed, my friends harassed, they took my career, my home of 28 years, refuse me assistance, deny any services no matter the level of terror, would not enforce my child support, gouged me in every expense they could and it keeps going on. And NO attorney would help.
I have fought for 14 years now. It is shocking every time I read what I write as it is surreal I’ve been through so much and it is still currently happening. I have also raised much awareness to the actors who are involved trying to survive, I must try.
Many years of reaching to FDLE, FBI, DOJ and getting retaliated at by LEO has been horrific. Before I saw this post I was going to write you to please be careful. I am exhausted and did not have an option to leave.
Other women have reached out to me who were also homicide survivors and have similar stories of terrorism by some of the same actors. I am writing this to tell you that you are doing the right thing to try to get away. Media also helped us at some point, the full story has not been told yet. I WISH someone would do it. Again, politics. There is much information out there about parts of it.
Like you I had data, truth and made lots of copies, provided lots of information to many to try to keep it safe as they kept taking my information/evidence, breaking in my home, hacking my electronics. I made sure to save much evidence, hard drives etc.. put them in safe places. Give them to many sources for safe keeping. Even if you think you are safe, do it. Raise awareness, they have taken my pages, my media and I have had to rebuild many times. I just want to be able to live my life but they have not stopped harassing me.
I know this terrorism and I am glad you can get out. Although, I am not so sure how productive that will be either.. this is a large dangerous circle and I hope everyday we make it through. When they involved another state and I was harassed from a state I have never been to that took it to another level of domestic terrorism. Federal agencies are informed. I was not targeted because I was a bad person, I was targeted because I was a credible person trying to do the right things and also stood on the truth. For that, I am terrorized while dangerous serial predators and more dangerous elected public officials are protected.
You can look up our story. MSNBC did part of our story also. Producers said it was the second worse story and was Florida politics and they did not care about Florida politics they were national and they were going to get part of the story out there. When they did I was retaliated at even worse. Much media has been squashed. Journalists still follow. I am thankful they were courageous enough to try to help.
The Sheriff used media to slander my family and target my children. Many terrifying days and nights. And here I am Christmas Eve,14 years into terror, typing this to you.
I hope you find peace and safety moving forward. I am still seeking it and trying to survive it all. I still need help but no one will help. I went back to school and studied trying to survive. I was harassed while in school I sought services because I was being stalked from the university and was also denied. Department of Education involved in denial of services and giving access. Despite it all, I just graduated USF with a BA in Psychology, a minor in Criminology and a minor in Intelligence Studies still trying.. thankful to several amazing professors and a few others who know who they are. There are people trying to do the right thing. If the Governor, AG, Sheriff, State Attorneys, FDLE will not act, we cannot move forward no matter how right it is.
You take care of your family and if you need anything from our cases if it will help support your case, please seek it. There is no shortage of documentation and federal or local complaints.There are FDLE records of many years for what that is worth. Gerald Bailey prior to Rick Sweringen and Rick Sweringen aware. Robert Miller with FDLE I met with in 2013 and FBI. Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence fraud, was also exposed lawsuit filed in Leon County, they denied me services for years as well when I sought help from the stalking. OIG DCF complaints of systemic fraud because they oversee DV agencies and child services who additionally traumatized my children without merit at schools. There are no shortage of cases of other women being put through this either unfortunately.
It is systemic you will never get help here until there are systemic changes. They will only escalate and continue to harass you even if you went quiet. I tried, I tried to delete all media, move forward, they did not leave me alone. It got worse because they needed to have a ‘connection’ to me.
I hope that some of the awareness I have been able to raise and others like you are dong, can help effect change so others like us are spared this terrorism from Florida agencies moving forward. That is why I continue to try for women like you and all of our families who are exposed and think it is just you.. it is not. It is a Florida pattern of standard business practices that need to stop victimizing Florida women and their children and families.
Thank you for being brave and your courage is raising awareness even if it does not feel like it, we hear you. I hope someday the trauma your children were forced to face will be met with a gleaming pride of a strong brave mama who succeeded despite these tragic circumstance. I have been praying for that for going on two decades now. My children also faced trauma you cannot undo.
We can heal and recover from trauma, only if they give us safety to do so. To date we do not have that. Don’t let them traumatize your children more, they will. There is no consideration for their trauma. That is what I fought the hardest for, they were taking their childhood which I knew could not be replaced. They did not care not one ounce of consideration for the life altering terrorism they put them through.
I hope someday for restoration that we do not have to constantly be under threat. I hope for you and your family that you can be free of this threat moving forward. Yes, it took courage to type this. The cause is important. Stopping violence against women, their children and families by public agencies is the cause. Florida has an epidemic of this that has existed long before and will continue long after COVID if we do not try to stop it. We can only stop it by identifying it. We all know this. So do the elected officials permitting it. They need to act.
Kathleen Kelly Bostick
My apologies for grammatical errors making it harder to read. I may go back and edit if possible when I have more time.
Thank You for your bravery to speak truth to power and your dedication to science. I wish you all the luck in world and I hope your kids get over this traumatizing experience. You have an army of supporters.
God Bless you and your family for staying on the course of truth!
Best wishes in all that you do. I’m so sorry to see the situation you’re in with this state. Thank you for all that you’ve done to bring truth to us.
Sorry to hear this happened to your family. I hope your children remember your bravery in the face of adversity. We are blessed there are good people like you in this world! Merry Christmas!
Thank you Rebekka and thank you to your family, apologies as well. There are too many operating in some delusional parallel universe. Hold true, hold fast. Courage and blessings wherever you land.
Will the Florida site continue to function.
Are you soliciting funds for the site or for the sui?
I am so sorry to you are leaving Ms Hones but I understand you & your family’s safety comes first. I do not respect DeSantis. He is a follower of the denier-in-chief who only wants to profit and ignore the suffering and those dying every day from Covid. Good for you. You told us the truth and now must pay the price. Shane them on for their egregious evil behavior. We are on our own here in Fla doing our best to stay safe. God Bless you and your family. Stay strong. You did the right thing. Never forget that. Sincerely, Susan Bakke
I understand yet regret that your plans have become necessary. When things here change you may want to move back.
As one of your earliest subscribers, I visit FCA daily and share data with groups where I am an administrator. I am glad you will be continuing the project and wish you great happiness and peace in your new location.
Thank you for your honesty and courage. Myself I wouldn’t leave Fl. I would stay and do all I could to take scumbag desantis down.
You are brave and your decision to protect your family is right. Thank you for reporting truth and for staying the course on this issue. DeSantis should be ashamed of his actions. Good news is that in a few years we will vote him out. Stay safe and hope you have an amazing new chapter
Thank you for all your hard work and your honesty! It’s unfortunate that desantis is a LIAR and a CHEATER. He is responsible for the deaths of all the Floridians who have died from Covid-19. He wants nothing more than to be noticed by trump. We can only Joe that he is a one term governor.
I wish you and your family peace and safety. Happy Holidays!
Just got your email, sorry to hear that you are leaving the state. I realize that because of the political climate in this state, with a science denier in the State House , That you and your family will be much safer elsewhere. Thank you for all your hard work , it has kept me aware of the truth of Covid in this State and has pretty much kept me alive throughout this pandemic. Stay safe and please continue your good works. You will be remembered as being on the right side of History, whereas your attackers will be remembered as the “Bad Guys” , Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you for the honesty
I found what the police did disturbing. My family and I are still reeling. Where’s the ACLU? I’ll be making a donation.
Thank you for your hard work and for delivering truth during these crazy times. I do not trust anything the governor says. I review your Covid page daily for information about the pandemic and how it is affecting Florida. I wish for you and your family to be safe and understand your need to remove them from harm.
I knew about the cigarette/smoking lies that were told by the tobacco industry. Do you know about the lies being perpetrated about nutrition, specifically by the meat and dairy industries. Check out nutritionfacts.org and Dr. Michael Greger’s research (later, after the pandemic is over).
Keep up the good work!
Thank You
Thank you for all you have done. I find what has happened to you an embarrassment for our state and a slam on democracy. I wish you all the luck and good fortune in your move and in all of your endeavors. Florida is losing a good one!
No good deed goes unpunished. Thank you for all you do, have done, and will do. We need many more of you, and absolutely none of them. 🙂 If only.
Thank you Rebeca
Thanks for making it clear that we have thugs running our state government. I simply pledge to NEVER vote for another Republican the rest of my life and hope everyone reading of your your family’s experience will vow to never vote for any Republican. They are all corrupt even when they appear to not be because they never speak up against the actions you and others experience. I follow your posts.
I am so sorry that anyone would have to go through what you and your family have endured.
Peace and love—George
You are simply courageous!!!!
Thank you for your Bravery in the midst of harassment and condemnation. Your children will be proud of your actions and someday they will understand that their mother shined a light on the darkness of deception in Florida and the Country.
Stay safe and do what’s best for your family.
They are most important❤️
Florida has been known to hand pick those to Defend the wrongs being done – 1999 still working in a former S&L I noticed outsourcing of Payroll- at that time I never knew the Qualified position offered to my Son funded under it’s infamous category of Community Redevelopment would be the cause of his prventable death-on the job injury tampering with medical records and the Claim started by my Son as his only next of kin I kept it going
Florida has a long history because of it’s Tourist Industry Govenors I worked under Bush/Crist/Scott all added to the complex cyber misinformation ‘DNS Domain Name Services’ allowed my last job in banking a former S&L hired to do their IRA accounts-this run by a CHAIRMAN and other Business Gurus in every field to be able to allow the complete destruction of the 1935 Banking System Rules. This led to the 2007 2008 Housing Crisis AIG Ins. Crisis & the list is long. under a State Funded Grant they hired my QUALIFIED SON to establish an area demolished-permit Monroe County This location benefit package and all my Son’s records at my home-asked everry AGENCY for hellp and Nothing
I am so sorry after speaking truth to power, you are now the subject of illegal and unlawful ridicule and persecution. I want to thank you for all your steadfast diligence in getting us the real numbers. Please, keep yourself and family safe. Let us know where one can go to expect truth and reality. My best to you!
Words cannot adequately express how much you are appreciated for your dedication to providing the true statistics. I am so sorry your family had to endure such a traumatic encounter with “DeathSantis’” goons. Please know many of us support you!!!
I’m so sorry that Ron and his thugs raided your home and traumatized your children. Thank you for giving us truthful numbers. Please stay healthy and safe.
Thank so much for the updates.we know we can trust your numbers.we have a right to know.