On Monday evening, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas (D-TX) confronted the recent turmoil surrounding her mayoral campaign in Houston. Last week, a leaked audiotape reportedly captured her delivering harsh criticism to her staff.
In her statement addressing the audio recording, Lee expressed her firm belief that everyone, including her staff, should be treated with dignity and respect. She openly acknowledged her imperfections and attributed her passionate commitment to serving her constituents as the source of her fervor.
“To anyone who has listened to this recording with concern, I am regretful and hope you will judge me not by something trotted out by a political opponent that worked to exploit this, and backed by extreme Republican supporters on the very day that polls open, but from what I’ve delivered to Houstonians over my years of public service,” she said as she avoided giving a direct apology.
She then claimed that many who have worked for her have gone on to “bigger and better opportunities” and dismissed the leaked tape as a “political attack and stunt.”
In the confidential recording, which was obtained by Current Revolt, Lee could be heard scolding a staff member for their inability to provide the precise date of an event.
“I don’t want you to do a g**d*** thing. I want you to have a f***ing brain,” she said. “I want you to have read it. I want you to say, ‘Congresswoman, with such and such date.’ That’s what I want. That’s the kind of staff that I want to have. So some stupid other motherf***er did it. And, and I don’t have the information. Nobody sent me the information. I need to, uh, ensure my, um, schedule and, uh, you know, if, if Boo Boo did it, s*** a** did it, f*** face did it.
And nobody knows a g**d*** thing in my office. Okay? Nothing. I gave it to you. Your job was to get it on the calendar, imprint it in your brain, or send me the information back saying, ‘Congresswoman, I made sure that the Ovide Duncantell event that you gave me, uh, for a so-and-so date at seven is on the f***ing calendar.’ Not to, ‘oh, Jerome has it.’”
“So when I called Jerome, he only sitting up there like a fat a** stupid idiot talking about, uh, what the f*** he doesn’t know,” she allegedly continued.
