Fred Piccolo, a former spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis who also served in other government communication roles statewide, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for exposure of sexual organs, Manatee County jail records show.

State Rep. Jackie Toledo, a Tampa Republican who lost a primary bid for a congressional seat in August, has filed a lawsuit accusing campaign manager Fred Piccolo — a former spokesman for Gov. Ron DeSantis — of sending her “unwanted, unsolicited, inappropriate and grossly offensive harassing text messages and images.”

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A spokesman for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has deactivated his Twitter account after after he posted a tweet that photos of each dead COVID-19 victim should be balanced with 99 photos of people who survive the disease. Otherwise you’re just trying to create a narrative that is not reality.”The tweet has since been deleted. In the past, Piccolo has questioned the effectiveness of face mask mandates and has said that COVID-19 is less deadly than the flu. Piccolo told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Wednesday he had already planned to leave the social media site.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida plans to more closely scrutinize deaths attributed to the coronavirus, as the Department of Health notes that some people listed as COVID-19 fatalities died months after testing positive for the disease. Florida reported more than 5,500 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, raising the seven-day average in daily reported cases to about 3,300. The Florida Department of Health also confirmed 57 new deaths, bringing the death toll to 16,470. The state previously had county medical examiners confirm COVID-19 deaths, but then switched to having treating physicians do so. The department previously has given guidance on excluding coronavirus deaths if someone who tested positive died for another reason.