Sheila Jackson Lee defends herself after rant against staffer leaked

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) defended herself after audio of her profanity-laced rant berating staffers was published Friday, saying she had “fallen short of my own standards.”

In the leaked audio first reported by The Houston Chronicle, Jackson Lee insults staffers as “two goddamn big-ass children,” “f—ups,” and “idiots,” among other offensive names. Her office confirmed the audio was authentic late Monday but could not confirm the identities of the staffers. 

“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,” Jackson Lee said in a statement distributed by her Houston mayoral campaign.

“I know that I am not perfect,” she said. “I recognize that in my zeal to do everything possible to deliver for my constituents I have in the past fallen short of my own standards and there is no excuse for that.”

Angelica Luna Kaufman, Jackson Lee’s campaign spokesperson, told The Hill the audio file was originally leaked to the media by an online account with the same name as a staffer for her electoral opponent, state Sen. John Whitmire (D). The Hill could not confirm the claim.

Whitmire’s campaign denied being involved with the audio in a statement to Houston’s ABC13.

“To try to accuse our campaign of leaking it is just an attempt to take away attention from what is on the recording,” his campaign said.

Whitmire and Jackson Lee, both Democrats, are expected to need a runoff election to determine the Houston mayoral race in November amid a crowded field. Lee has served in Congress since 1995.

Early voting in the mayoral race began Monday, just after the audio was leaked.

Jackson Lee has made news before for her treatment of her staff. Washingtonian named her the “meanest” House member in 2014.

In 2019, a former staffer sued Jackson Lee over wrongful termination after the congresswoman allegedly fired her in retaliation for pursuing a rape claim against an employee at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which she chaired at the time.