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KPBS Midday Edition

How Supervisor Desmond Has Amplified False Coronavirus Misinformation

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond is shown in this 2018 campaign photo.
Jim Desmond
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond is shown in this 2018 campaign photo.
San Diego County is now off the state’s covid-19 watch list and awaiting guidelines from the state on when businesses may be able to reopen. But since the start of the pandemic, one county supervisor in particular has been outspoken in support of reopening the local economy.

San Diego County is now off California's COVID-19 monitoring list and awaiting guidelines from the state on when businesses may be able to reopen.

But since the start of the pandemic, one county supervisor has been outspoken in support of reopening the local economy.

Supervisor Jim Desmond, who represents a large part of North County, has questioned the county's COVID-19 restrictions. On his podcast, he's invited controversial guests who have made false statements about the coronavirus without being challenged. Some of the episodes have received more than 100,000 views.

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A new story published by Voice of San Diego calls Desmond the "most high-profile skeptic of the coronavirus to hold local office." Katy Stegall, a freelance journalist who wrote the story for VOSD, joined Midday Edition on Tuesday to discuss her reporting.

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