Congresswoman Running for Houston Mayor Responds After Vulgar Recording Is Leaked: ‘I Am Not Perfect’

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who is running for mayor of Houston, has apologized after a private tape of her berating a staff member was leaked.

“To anyone who listened with concern to this tape, I apologize and hope you will not judge me for something that was put out by a political opponent, who worked to exploit this, and with the support of extreme Republican supporters on the very opening day of the polls but from of what I have delivered to Houstonians during my years of public service,” Jackson Lee said in a statement Monday.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.

Joshua Roberts/Getty

“I know I’m not perfect,” she said and added that “she fell short of her standards and there’s no excuse for that.”

“At heart, I’m someone who speaks out. I know that as much as that’s a strength, it can sometimes be a challenge to strike a balance, but when I fail, I want the people I represent to know that it’s because I’m standing up for them – not for myself “, she continued.

On Tuesday, ABC 13 reported that the conversation is believed to date back “at least half a decade.”

The newspaper reported that the video, which lasted less than two minutes, contained 17 swear words. The file has since been shared on various social media platforms.

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Jackson Lee’s statement Monday did not mention the alleged employee, a man named Jerome mentioned in the viral audio.

“When I call Jerome, he’s going to be sitting up there like a fat… dumb idiot talking about what the hell he doesn’t know. You’re both fucked,” Jackson told Lee at one point.

“I want each of them to know that the work we do would never be possible without their hard work and dedication,” the congresswoman said of her current staff.

Tail. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).

Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Jackson Lee says that despite the recent backlash, if she wins the title of Houston mayor, she will focus on issues such as crime and public safety, education, health care, affordable housing and economic development.

“I am committed to making Houston a better place for all of us, and the sooner we can refocus on the real issues we face instead of political attacks and stunts, the sooner we can achieve those goals,” her statement added.

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Supporters of Houston mayoral candidate John Whitmire, a Democratic Texas state senator, have been charged with leaking the audio. However, his campaign denied any involvement.

“Trying to blame our campaign for the leak is just an attempt to distract from what’s on the tape,” Whitmire’s campaign told ABC 13.

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Source: HIS Education