Rep. Jackson Lee Suggests Gov't Shutdown Led 'Poor' Woman to Capitol Hill Chase

On Thursday, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) suggested that the federal government shutdown may have led a woman to lead police on a car chase near the Capitol before police shot her to death.  

Speaking on the House floor hours after the incident, Jackson Lee said “rather than respond in a way that leaves” federal employees unemployed, the House should pass a short-term resolution with nothing attached to it in order to open the government. 

Then, Jackson Lee said, “And God knows, the tragedy of this poor person who came on the Hill in a black car. No one knows what drive this person to do this.”

“But what I would say to you is let’s get our wheels back on,” Jackson Lee said, asking the House to “serve the American people” and bring back the furloughed federal workers by voting “for a bill today that will open the government.”

Jackson Lee said she would stay “here until we get that bill on the floor” to end the government shutdown.