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U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas who has served in Congress since 1995, was arrested Thursday during a suffrage protest in Washington, DC
The 71-year-old MP, from New York City who served on Houston City Council before being elected to her US House seat, posted a photo on Twitter that showed her with ties around her wrists and escorted by a police officer after her arrest.
U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, is arrested by a member of the United States Capitol Police as she participates in civil disobedience during a protest outside the Hart Senate office building on Capitol Hill, July 29, 2021 (Getty Images)
“I will NEVER stop fighting for the right to vote! Lee wrote in the post. “The time is NOW to move the voting rights bills forward in the US Senate !! Enough is enough.”
Lee included the hashtag #GoodTrouble, a reference to a term for political activism that was favored by the late US Representative John Lewis, D-Ga., For whom a voting rights proposal is nominated.
U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, is arrested by a member of the United States Capitol Police as she participates in civil disobedience during a protest outside the Hart Senate office building on Capitol Hill, July 29, 2021 (Getty Images)
Democrats have opposed election laws passed or contemplated in states across the country, arguing that the Republican-backed changes were thinly veiled attempts to discourage minorities from voting. Republicans countered that their proposals were aimed at ensuring the integrity of the elections by creating obstacles against voter fraud.
After Lee’s release, she posted a video in which she spoke about his arrest and called for the vote bills to pass in Congress. The precise charges against her and the conditions of her release were not immediately clear.
Lee has become at least the third House Democrat to be arrested in recent weeks during a protest for voting rights. Other Democrats recently arrested included U.S. Reps Joyce Beatty of Ohio and Hank Johnson of Georgia.
U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, is arrested by a member of the United States Capitol Police as she participates in civil disobedience during a protest outside the Hart Senate office building on Capitol Hill, July 29, 2021 (Getty Images)
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The Harris County Democratic Party in Texas released a statement following Lee’s arrest.
“Once again we see a black woman at the forefront of defending our civil rights and the fight to save our fragile democracy,” said Odus Evbagharu, Chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party, in the press release. “Congresswoman Lee understands that we are at a crossroads in our nation’s history where our sacred right to vote is under serious threat. She recognizes that we must all take action to protect this right.”
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