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Kissimmee mayor arrested on grand theft and organized fraud charges

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 8 outlets, mostly right-leaning (75%).

10 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Officials at a podium with a 'Prosecuting Public Corruption' sign, flags and seal, with uniformed officers behind.
Image via The Epoch TimesHow images are chosenReport this image

Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested Wednesday and charged with grand theft and organized scheme to defraud, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. The charges concern COVID-19 relief funds from a city grant program that Espinosa helped create, the attorney general said. He said Espinosa and her family received $50,000 from the program, which was meant to help small businesses recover. Espinosa’s attorney, Migdalia Perez, said her client maintains her innocence and disputes that she acted with criminal intent. Attorney General Uthmeier said public officials do not get to write the rules and then write themselves a check.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested on Wednesday, October 21, and charged with grand theft and organized scheme to defraud.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft2Right2Far Right5See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    ABC News, The New York Times
    Right
    The Washington Times, The Center Square
    Far Right
    RedState, The Western Journal, TheBlaze, The Epoch Times, One America News

  2. According to the state attorney general, the charges relate to COVID-19 relief funds from a city grant program that Espinosa helped create.

    Reported byLeft1Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times
    Right
    The Center Square
    Far Right
    TheBlaze, The Epoch Times, One America News

  3. According to the state attorney general, Espinosa and her family received $50,000 from the program.

    One side only: the rightReported byRight1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Right
    The Center Square
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times

  4. Espinosa’s attorney says she maintains her innocence and disputes that she acted with criminal intent.

    One side only: the rightReported byRight1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Right
    The Center Square
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Espinosa and her family received $50,000 from a COVID relief grant program she helped create, in a way that was prohibited.

    The state attorney general says the funds were taken in violation of state law and were not meant for the mayor’s family. Espinosa’s attorney says she maintains her innocence and disputes that she acted with criminal intent.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides present report that Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested and charged with grand theft and organized fraud, per the attorney general. Left headlines attribute the charges to the state, while right headlines more often name her Democratic Party, and far-right outlets stress COVID relief funds.

  • the left

    2 outlets

    Left headlines report the arrest and attribute the charges to the state attorney general; the New York Times stresses the mayor’s role in creating the grant.

    Florida Mayor Is Accused of Taking Covid Grant Funds She Helped Approve
    The New York TimesLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    6 outlets · 1 opinion

    Right headlines report the arrest and charges, often naming the mayor’s Democratic Party; far-right outlets add the COVID relief fund and self-dealing allegations.

    Dem Florida Mayor Arrested, Accused of Theft and 'Organized Scheme to Defraud'
    The Western JournalFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right5

    all too often seem to go hand in handsadlydodged an impeachment trialonly to end up in handcuffs

In the outlets’ own words

  • Absolutist framing

    all too often seem to go hand in handMore neutral: Politics and corruption are sometimes linked, as in this case.

    The phrase presents a general claim that politics and corruption are linked as settled fact, which the single arrest does not establish.

    Politics and corruption all too often seem to go hand in hand.

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    sadly

    The word signals the writer's disapproval rather than reporting the event.

    …dates back to, well, forever, and there's no sign of that changing any time soon, sadly.

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    dodged an impeachment trialMore neutral: did not face an impeachment trial before her arrest

    Dodged implies she evaded accountability, which the supplied text does not establish.

    The mayor of the central Florida city of Kissimmee dodged an impeachment trial , only to end up in handcuffs.

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    only to end up in handcuffsMore neutral: was arrested

    The phrase adds a sense of humiliation and drama beyond the fact of arrest.

    …of the central Florida city of Kissimmee dodged an impeachment trial , only to end up in handcuffs.

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

Show 1 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    slapped withMore neutral: charged with

    Slapped suggests a casual, punitive blow rather than a formal charge.

    According to the Osceola County charging affidavit, she has been slapped with one count of first-degree felony organized scheme to defraud $50,000 or more and…

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Loaded verb

    Quoted

    Abused her office to enrich herselfMore neutral: Charged with organized scheme to defraud and grand theft

    The headline presents a conclusion about her conduct as a quoted verdict, while the supplied text reports it as an allegation in a charging document.

    'Abused her office to enrich herself': Florida mayor arrested for allegedly defrauding COVID relief program…

    Quoted byTheBlaze (Far Right)

    Inside a quotation: the outlets are reporting someone else’s words.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

  • the arrest and charges
  • state attorney general as source
  • mayor’s role in creating the grant program

Leaves out

  • the $50,000 amount
  • the mayor’s denial of criminal intent

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • The New York TimesLeft

    Florida Mayor Is Accused of Taking Covid Grant Funds She Helped Approve

    Mayor Jackie Espinosa of Kissimmee, Fla., and her family received money from a grant program she helped create during the pandemic, the state attorney general said. She was arrested on Wednesday.

    Read at The New York Times (opens in a new tab)
  • ABC NewsLeft

    Florida mayor arrested on grand theft and fraud charges: State AG

    Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa is being charged with grand theft and organized scheme to defraud, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.

    Read at ABC News (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

6 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • mayor’s Democratic Party affiliation
  • COVID relief funds and self-dealing
  • attorney general’s accusations
  • family businesses
See the 7 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • One America NewsFar Right

    Fla.: Democrat Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa arrested, charged with theft in COVID-19 relief fund scheme

    According to a state officals, the Democrat mayor of Kissimmee, Florida, has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including grand theft and organized scheme to defraud.

    Read at One America News (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Florida Mayor Arrested After Authorities Say She Paid Herself and Family State COVID Funds

    Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa said she was innocent of the charges and that her actions were not a secret scheme.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from The Epoch Times
  • The Center SquareRight

    Florida mayor arrested for grand theft, fraud

    Kissimmee Mayor Eva Jacquelyn Espinosa was arrested Wednesday morning on theft and fraud charges involving $50,000 in federal pandemic relief grants awarded to businesses tied to her and her family, according to the Florida attorney general’s office.

    Read at The Center Square (opens in a new tab)
  • TheBlazeFar Right

    'Loaded verb“Abused her office to enrich herself”The headline presents a conclusion about her conduct as a quoted verdict, while the supplied text reports it as an allegation in a charging document.More neutral: Charged with organized scheme to defraud and grand theftThis appears inside a quotation. The outlet is reporting someone else’s words.Disagree with this highlight?': Florida mayor arrested for allegedly defrauding COVID relief program she created

    The mayor of the central Florida city of Kissimmee Loaded verb“dodged an impeachment trial”Dodged implies she evaded accountability, which the supplied text does not establish.More neutral: did not face an impeachment trial before her arrestDisagree with this highlight? , Sensational language“only to end up in handcuffs”The phrase adds a sense of humiliation and drama beyond the fact of arrest.More neutral: was arrestedDisagree with this highlight?. Jackie Espinosa — who was born in New Jersey and elected mayor in 2024 with some Democrat support — was arrested on Wednesday morning. …

    Read at TheBlaze (opens in a new tab)
  • The Western JournalFar Right

    Dem Florida Mayor Arrested, Accused of Theft and 'Organized Scheme to Defraud'

    Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with grand theft and an organized scheme to defraud, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced. Uthmeier announced the arrest in

    Read at The Western Journal (opens in a new tab)
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Kissimmee mayor arrested on grand theft and fraud charges

    Jackie Espinosa, the Democratic mayor of Kissimmee, Florida, was arrested on charges of grand theft and organized scheme to defraud Wednesday.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • RedStateFar RightOpinion

    Florida AG: Kissimmee Mayor Arrested for Theft, Fraud

    Politics and corruption all too often seem to go hand in hand. This dates back to, well, forever, and there's no sign of that changing any time soon, sadly. …

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    41 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 2:05 PM EDT

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    First to report

    The Washington Times, Oct 21, 1:24 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Washington TimesRightOct 21, 1:24 PM EDT
  2. ABC NewsLeftOct 21, 2:05 PM EDT
  3. The Western JournalFar RightOct 21, 3:52 PM EDT
  4. TheBlazeFar RightOct 21, 4:21 PM EDT
  5. The Center SquareRightOct 21, 4:55 PM EDT
  6. The New York TimesLeftOct 21, 5:54 PM EDT
  7. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 21, 6:43 PM EDT
  8. One America NewsFar RightOct 21, 8:44 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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