Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones Dies at 58

Cleveland Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones died this evening at 6:12 p.m. according to a Cleveland Clinic spokesperson. She was rushed to Huron Hospital (a Cleveland Clinic facility) last night after suffering an aneurysm and remained in critical condition throughout the day.

Ms. Tubbs-Jones was a Cleveland native, a product of the Cleveland Municipal School District and a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and Case School of Law. Before being elected to Congress in 1998, she served Cuyahoga County in a number of capacities including sitting as a municipal court and common pleas judge and as Cuyahoga County Prosecutor from 1991-1999.

Stephanie Tubbs-Jones was the first black woman to serve Ohio in Congress. Her district, Ohio's 11th Congressional District, included much of the east side of Cleveland as well as 22 eastern suburbs, including Shaker Heights, Euclid, and Cleveland Heights.

Most recently, Tubbs-Jones served as the Chairwoman of the House Committee. She was a staunch supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton in her presidential bid and just recently threw her support behind Barack Obama.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Ms. Tubbs-Jones friends and family.

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