A lifelong Republican has resigned his appointment to a state panel that picks judges in protest over a raid of a fired COVID data scientist’s home and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of “public access to truthful data,” the Tampa Bay Times reports. Ron Filipkowski, a former state and federal prosecutor whom DeSantis appointed to the 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, quit his post Tuesday after reading the search warrant affidavit for the seizure of Rebekah Jones’ computers and phones. Jones says she was fired after refusing to manipulate state coronavirus data, and she now runs an alternative website to Florida’s COVID dashboard.

“The recent events regarding public access to truthful data on the pandemic, and the specific treatment of Rebekah Jones has made the issue a legal one rather than just medical,” Filipkowski said in a letter to DeSantis’ general counsel. “...I no longer wish to serve the current government of Florida in any capacity.”