Sheila Jackson Lee Resigns from Head of Congressional Black Caucus

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has resigned from the top post of the Congressional Black Caucus following a former employee’s accusation that she was fired for reporting a rape.

Sexual assault coverup in the Congressional Black Caucus?

Recently, a lawsuit was filed by a former aide to Rep. Lee, alleging that she was fired after reporting that an employee of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation raped her. (RELATED: A New Lawsuit Claims Sheila Jackson Lee Fired A Staffer To Cover Up A Rape.) The litigant says that Lee deliberately fired her after she let it be known that she was planning to sue the Foundation.

Lee has stayed relatively quiet on the issue. But, her silence wasn’t enough to ward off some pressure to step down. And, according to the New York Times, Lee is stepping away from not just one but two powerful positions in Congress.

From the report: “Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, facing blowback from a lawsuit claiming she fired an aide who said she was sexually assaulted by a supervisor at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, has decided to resign as the foundation’s chairwoman on Wednesday.”

But there’s more: “And Ms. Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat in her 13th term, will also step down temporarily from an important House Judiciary subcommittee chairmanship.”

Yikes. A double-whammy!

Raising suspicion?

Rep. Lee’s stepping down from those two prominent positions won’t put the issue to rest. Stepping down doesn’t prove that she’s not guilty of covering up for the sexual assault. It only raises more questions.

We’ll have to wait to see how this lawsuit plays out. But, for now, it looks like Rep. Lee’s chairmanships are another casualty of the #metoo movement.

Jim E. is a true political insider, with experience working both in Washington and outside in real America. Jim... More about Jim E

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