Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who is currently running for mayor of Houston, has been accused of using offensive language towards a staffer in an audio recording that surfaced. The recording, obtained by Texas outlet Current Revolt, appears to have been made by the staffer himself. In the audio, Jackson Lee is heard berating the staffer, accusing them of not using their “brain” and expressing frustration with the lack of information provided by the office. She also criticized another staffer and referred to them in derogatory terms. The audio pertains to an event in honor of Ovide Duncantell, a figure in Houston politics, and comes as Jackson Lee campaigns for mayor of the city. The Washington Examiner sought comment from Jackson Lee’s office but has not received a response.
Jackson Lee has represented Texas’s 18th District for 28 years and has been an advocate for civil rights. She previously promised to reintroduce the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act but was unable to pass it in the previous Congress.