A Democratic congresswoman recently indicted on 24 counts of fraud and corruption said she's being "persecuted" because of her race.
In a post on her campaign website, Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) wrote Sunday that “last week was very rough.”
“Two black men were needlessly gunned down by police; 5 Dallas police officers were slain by a demented man, and on Friday I had to appear in federal court,” she wrote.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“My heart is heavy, but my spirit remains unbroken. Being indicted is very scary. Yet my conscience is clear because I’m innocent,” Brown continued. “I’m not the first black elected official to be persecuted and, sad to say, I won’t be the last.”
Brown noted that she was indicted rather than convicted of a crime.
“The most important thing I want you to understand is that an indictment is not a conviction,” Brown wrote. “An indictment is an accusation. Anybody can make an accusation. You’ve heard the prosecutor’s side, but you still have not heard the rest of the story.”
According to WFTV-TV, Brown is accused of funneling money she raised for a charity called One Door for Education into her personal bank accounts in order to pay taxes that she owed.
WFTV reports that if Brown is convicted on the 24 counts listed in her federal indictment, she could face more than 300 years in prison. Her trial is scheduled for September.
Brown vowed to continue to work in Washington although she is under investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Ethics.
“Despite all the heartache my family and I have experienced, I want you to know that I’m still in the fight to provide the representation you deserve in Washington,” Brown wrote.
(H/T: Mediaite)
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