Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D., Texas) was recently recorded verbally abusing her staff, calling them “f***-ups” in a heated exchange with a male staffer who was not able to answer questions she had about an upcoming event.
Jackson Lee, who entered the Houston mayoral race in March, has served in Congress for almost three decades. In the recorded exchange with her staffer, Jackson Lee can be heard asking for the details of an upcoming event organized by Ovide Duncantell, founder of the Black Heritage Society, Inc.
“You took a piece of paper from that woman regarding something that was owned by Duncantell. Where is it? What date was it?” Jackson Lee asked a male staffer, according to audio obtained by the Texas news outlet Current Revolt. The man responded by saying he gave the document to someone named Jerome, presumably another staff member. Jackson Lee then interjected as the staff member said he would call Jerome to find out what she wanted to know.
“I don’t want you to do a [expletive] thing,” she said. “I want you to have a [expletive] brain. I want you to have read it. I want you to say, ‘Congresswoman, it was such and such a date. That’s what I want. That’s the kind of staff that I want to have.”
Jackson Lee kept hurling insults and snapping at the staffer, saying she expects staffers to learn the details of events, specifically those organized by
“When I called Jerome, he only sits up there like a fat [expletive], just talking about what the [expletive] he doesn’t know,” she said. “Both of y’all are f***-ups…This is the worst [expletive] that I could’ve ever had put together. Two [expletive] big [expletive] children. [expletive] idiots. Serve no [expletive] purpose.”
“Nobody’s respecting him, nobody gives a [expletive] about what you’re doing. And you ain’t doing [expletive]. And this is an example of it. I gave it to Jerome. This is not child’s work, ok,” the congresswomen barked.
Over the years, Jackson Lee has developed a reputation as a demanding and punitive boss. She has been known to belittle her staff and make them work overtime. Two of her former employees sued her for allegations related to poor workplace treatment.
Mona Floyd, her former legislative director and chief counsel, sued Jackson Lee in 2011 for allegedly refusing to accommodate her vision impairment and making her work 16-hour days, the Houston Chronicle reported. In 2019, a former aide whose identity was not revealed accused Jackson Lee of firing her after hearing that she had made a rape allegation while interning at Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF). The congresswoman had just been made chairwoman of the organization’s board of directors. After the scandal became public, Jackson Lee resigned as chairwoman.
A recent poll from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs conducted between September 30 and October 6, 2023 found that over half of respondents view her unfavorably, and 43 percent said they would never vote for her.
National Review has reached out to Jackson Lee’s office for comment.