Ohio Lawmaker Dies After Brain Hemorrhage

Democrat Stephanie Tubbs Jones, 58, Was First Black Woman To Represent Ohio In Congress

(AP)  Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first black woman to represent Ohio in Congress and a strong critic of the Iraq war, died Wednesday after a brain hemorrhage, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Tubbs Jones, 58, died Wednesday evening of a brain hemorrhage caused by an aneurysm that burst and left her with limited brain function, said Eileen Sheil, a spokeswoman for the Cleveland Clinic, which owns the Huron Hospital in East Cleveland where Tubbs Jones died.

"Throughout the course of the day and into this evening, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones' medical condition declined," Sheil said in a statement from the clinic and Tubbs Jones' family.

The liberal Democrat, first elected in 1998, suffered the hemorrhage while driving her car in Cleveland Heights Tuesday night, said Dr. Gus Kious, president of Huron Hospital. The car went out of control and crossed lanes of traffic before coming to a stop, police said. An officer found the ailing lawmaker.

A brain aneurysm is a bulge in an artery in the brain. It can leak or rupture, causing bleeding in the brain.

Several news organizations, including The Associated Press, had reported earlier in the day that Tubbs Jones had died. That report, citing a Democratic official, was corrected a few minutes later when a hospital official held a news conference to say she was in critical condition.

Tubbs Jones represented the heavily Democratic 11th District and chaired the ethics committee in the House. She was the first black woman to serve on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, where she opposed President Bush's tax cuts and his efforts to create personal accounts within Social Security.

"After making history as the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Ohio, the congresswoman worked to expand the rights of all Americans," President Bush said in tribute. "Our nation is grateful for her service."

Tubbs Jones was a firm supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primaries until throwing her support behind Sen. Barack Obama in June. She was to have been a superdelegate at next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The Clinton family released a statement saying they shared a friendship with Tubbs Jones that "deepened through every trial and challenge."

"Over the course of many years, with many ups and many downs, Stephanie was right by our side - unwavering, indefatigable," the statement said. "It was that fighting spirit ... that allowed Stephanie to rise from modest beginnings, to succeed in public service, to become a one-woman force for progress in our country."

Obama called Tubbs Jones "an extraordinary American and an outstanding public servant."

"It wasn't enough for her just to break barriers in her own life. She was also determined to bring opportunity to all those who had been overlooked and left behind - and in Stephanie, they had a fearless friend and unyielding advocate," Obama said in a statement.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who also represents Cleveland, was visibly upset Wednesday night when he left Huron Hospital. He held the hand of his wife, Elizabeth, as he recalled Tubbs Jones' energy and spirit.

"She poured her heart and soul into her job," Kucinich said. "She worked so hard and gave everything she could. I'm devastated. Wherever we'd go, we'd speak of each other as brother and sister. It's an incalculable loss."

Tubbs Jones was a passionate opponent of the Iraq war, voting in 2002 against authorizing the use of military force.

Just as the war was starting in March 2003, she was one of only 11 House members to oppose a resolution supporting U.S. troops in Iraq. She said she did so because the resolution connected Iraq to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and said Iraq poses a continued threat to the United States.

Neither of those claims had been proved, she said, adding that was why the United States couldn't persuade the United Nations to support an attack.

In 2005, Tubbs Jones opposed certifying President Bush's re-election because of questionable electoral results in her home state.

Tubbs Jones was known as an outspoken, gregarious lawmaker who wore bright colors and displayed her congressional pin on a gold necklace.

She was a fiery speaker who could inspire crowds at political rallies, as she did while introducing former President Clinton when he campaigned for his wife in January in suburban Cleveland.

Tubbs Jones had served as a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge and prosecutor before running for political office.

Addressing the Democratic National Convention in 2004, Tubbs Jones recalled her parents, who "punched a clock day in and day out - one as a skycap, the other as a factory worker," until the day they saw their daughter representing their hometown as a congresswoman.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by terrorislamz at 10:37 AM

You are spamming again and on an article that has nothing to do with you Islam krap. I guess you will be changing your handle again.

[labrat9999]

A truly sad day in America. We will all miss Rep Tubbs. Our prayers and thoughts are with her family during this difficult time.

[midvale3]

and burn them for fuel since they wont allow us to create our own energy, but would rather pay islam.
Seig hillary


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by msgtsteve at 11:05 AM : Aug 21, 2008

Actually, conservatives are so full of manure that the methane would provide enough power to heat the world.

[stn_sage]

Our system of government works. Not just for the benefit of some to live well, but for us all to live well.
Posted by AaaBee at 10:02 AM : Aug 21, 2008
-------------------------
You mean well, but you are WRONG!

The above statement should be corrected to read: Our system of govt USE to work. Not just for the benefit of a few to live well, but for some to live well.

People like you who make these unrealistic, idealistic statements DO nearly as much harm as guys like Bush!

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by Nightsong6 at 03:21 AM : Aug 21, 2008

Excellent post.
Our national flag is a balance of red and blue with white.
The balance of our red and blue democracy worked for 200 years before this bashing started.
This country has prospered on that balance for 200 years.
This country gained Super Power status based on the success of our free two-party system.
Our system of government works. Not just for the benefit of some to live well, but for us all to live well.

My best to the family, friends, and constituents of Stephanie Tubbs Jones. She too worked not just for the benefit of some, but for us all.

[stn_sage]

RE: Jones

She doesn''t represent my district, so I don''t know whether she did a good job or not! But, I know she didn''t tell 934 lies to start a major world war and open a second war while giving the wealthy a tax break!

And she didn''t politicize the justice system, or wiretap and spy on everyone, or expose intel operatives, or sit back and lie that she wasn''t told about Katrina and then let hundreds of thousands flounder, hundreds ultimately dying, WHEN in fact the storms impact WAS made known. And she didn''t refuse to take action to hold prices at a reasonable level when they could have been. And she didn''t spend her time blaming the other guy for problems she caused and/or refused to try to fix!

SO, at least on this score she was alright in my book! My condolences to her family and friends!

[stn_sage]

Posted by DemWatcher at 12:21 AM : Aug 21, 2008
----------------------
Well, I see you''re up to your daily tantrums, again!

Another day---more hate to sling! More posters to attack! More fights to pick!

Have as good a day as you''re capable, Mr.Hatemonger!

Anybody who has posted here on a regular basis knows WHAT you''re about!

[pollroller1]

I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the Jones family.

[greeneyes222]

Well said, nightsong6!

And may God bless this woman, no matter what party she belonged to. He doesn''t care any more than we do.

[oneworldusa]

Posted by closethippy1 at 02:40 AM : Aug 21, 2008

-Unbelievable. This is unlike you. I know you were trying to make a funny, but someone DIED here.

If the hemorrhoid fairy visits you, no complaining allowed.

[nightsong6-2009]

It''s unbelievable to me the comments I''m reading to this story. The silent majority is so sick of this mud slinging by two, big, schoolyard bullies. Red? Blue? The country sinks like the Titanic as you carry on your Hatfields and McCoys feud slinging spoon fed sound bites from left and right at each other.

This isn''t a war of good and evil it''s a battle of money and power. Meanwhile, the silent majority of people sick to death with all of it grows larger and larger. If voting was manditory for all citizens, and there was a "none of the above" box on ballots, you''d see just how little your rhetoric has carried past your respective camps.

You want to impress us? Roll up your sleeves and work together to solve this nationion''s problems. Because until you do, you''re nothing but two big bullies slinging mud at each other in the schoolyard. And we are sick of it.

What a shame that a death announcement had to be used for this purpose.

[nightsong6-2009]

It''s unbelievable to me the comments I''m reading to this story. The silent majority is so sick of this mud slinging by two, big, schoolyard bullies. Red? Blue? The country sinks like the Titanic as you carry on your Hatfields and McCoys feud slinging spoon fed sound bites from left and right at each other.

This isn''t a war of good and evil it''s a battle of money and power. Meanwhile, the silent majority of people sick to death with all of it grows larger and larger. If voting was manditory for all citizens, and there was a "none of the above" box on ballots, you''d see just how little your rhetoric has carried past your respective camps.

You want to impress us? Roll up your sleeves and work together to solve this nationion''s problems. Because until you do, you''re nothing but two big bullies slinging mud at each other in the schoolyard. And we are sick of it.

What a shame that a death announcement had to be used for this purpose.

[nightsong6-2009]

It''s unbelievable to me the comments I''m reading to this story. The silent majority is so sick of this mud slinging by two, big, schoolyard bullies. Red? Blue? The country sinks like the Titanic as you carry on your Hatfields and McCoys feud slinging spoon fed sound bites from left and right at each other.

This isn''t a war of good and evil it''s a battle of money and power. Meanwhile, the silent majority of people sick to death with all of it grows larger and larger. If voting was manditory for all citizens, and there was a "none of the above" box on ballots, you''d see just how little your rhetoric has carried past your respective camps.

You want to impress us? Roll up your sleeves and work together to solve this nationion''s problems. Because until you do, you''re nothing but two big bullies slinging mud at each other in the schoolyard. And we are sick of it.

What a shame that a death announcement had to be used for this purpose.

[nightsong6-2009]

It''s unbelievable to me the comments I''m reading to this story. The silent majority is so sick of this mud slinging by two, big, schoolyard bullies. Red? Blue? The country sinks like the Titanic as you carry on your Hatfields and McCoys feud slinging spoon fed sound bites from left and right at each other.

This isn''t a war of good and evil it''s a battle of money and power. Meanwhile, the silent majority of people sick to death with all of it grows larger and larger. If voting was manditory for all citizens, and there was a "none of the above" box on ballots, you''d see just how little your rhetoric has carried past your respective camps.

You want to impress us? Roll up your sleeves and work together to solve this nationion''s problems. Because until you do, you''re nothing but two big bullies slinging mud at each other in the schoolyard. And we are sick of it.

What a shame that a death announcement had to be used for this purpose.

[nightsong6-2009]

It''s unbelievable to me the comments I''m reading to this story. The silent majority is so sick of this mud slinging by two, big, schoolyard bullies. Red? Blue? The country sinks like the Titanic as you carry on your Hatfields and McCoys feud slinging spoon fed sound bites from left and right at each other.

This isn''t a war of good and evil it''s a battle of money and power. Meanwhile, the silent majority of people sick to death with all of it grows larger and larger. If voting was manditory for all citizens, and there was a "none of the above" box on ballots, you''d see just how little your rhetoric has carried past your respective camps.

You want to impress us? Roll up your sleeves and work together to solve this nationion''s problems. Because until you do, you''re nothing but two big bullies slinging mud at each other in the schoolyard. And we are sick of it.

What a shame that a death announcement had to be used for this purpose.

[closethippy1]

How can anyone die of hemorrhoids???
Oops! it actually says "hemorrhage". Sorry.

[demwatcher]

"Nothing that the Bush Administration has done falls to that low level of selfishness, barbarism, idiocy, and hate.
Posted by DemWatcher at 10:27 PM : Aug 20, 2008

How about sending more than four thousand brave soldiers to their deaths for a war that Bush had to tell over 900 lies to get us into? This is not to mention the thousands of others who have suffered permanent injuries and lost limbs and whose lives will never be the same thanks to the lies told by GWB.

Posted by Voltaire777 at 11:30 PM : Aug 20, 2008"

You slam EVERYTHING that our troops do and NOW you want us to think you CARE about them?

You use them the same way use use the death of Rep Tubbs, as a tool to spread your hate.

Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.

[demwatcher]

"Posted by DemWatcher at 10:27 PM : Aug 20, 2008

It''''s a shame that instead of working solutions to the problems our society faces, you are obsessed with hating, tearing down and disparaging liberals. Your screen name implies you are a very negative person.

Posted by Voltaire777 at 11:26 PM : Aug 20, 2008"

You are truly pathetic, and ignorant. You have ABSOLUTELY NO idea what I do to help society, yet you claim that I do nothing. Your saying that I do nothing does not make it truth. At the VERY LEAST I do not go around wishing death on those that do not agree with my views, unlike many of you Liberals; which, I may add, you did not dispute.

My screen name means that I keep my eyes open and see you for what you really are. That you find it NEGATIVE shows your insecurities about your positions and your paranoia in believing that someone that scrutinizes you is automatically an enemy.

I do not ''hate'' Liberals. What I hate is the stupidity and ignorance many of you display. The prime example is your obsessive following of Obama, The man so obviously DOES NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Yet, you follow him and support him. You justify yourselves by disparaging McCain. That IN NO WAY makes your guy qualified.

You say that ANYTHING is better than 4 more years of Bush, That is such a weak argument and is completely untrue and you know it. Again, it does not make your guy qualified.

[demwatcher]

It is truly a shame that all many Liberals can do is use Rep Tubbs'' death to rant that some Republican/Conservative should have died instead.

This is one of the greatest proofs that America would be destroyed if Liberals get a choke-hold on power. Nothing that the Bush Administration has done falls to that low level of selfishness, barbarism, idiocy, and hate.

[cdfoxtrot2]

Sounds like the US Congress just lost a very intelligent person with great judgment - a rarity in that arena. She will be a loss to all of us. I hope her family and friends take consolation in the great work that she did.