Congressional Black Caucus demands Sheila Jackson Lee step down over intern rape allegations

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) was told by the board of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation that she should resign as leader of the organization in a lengthy conference call with the board over rape allegations.

The CBCF is being sued by a former intern who says that a former employee raped her after they went out for dinner. The victim was 19 years old at the time of the alleged assault.

The intern alleges that she was fired after she asked for her rape allegations to be investigated.

According to Politico, the board of the CBCF called for Jackson Lee to step down and she has also been approached by the leadership of the organization about resigning.

Jackson Lee has refused the demands to resign, according to the report.

The allegations were made against Damien Jones, the intern coordinator for the CBCF in 2015 when the alleged rape took place.

Jones also worked as a regional political director on the unsuccessful campaign for Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) to unseat Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in the midterm elections of 2018.

The O'Rourke campaign has distanced itself from Jones.

Politico reports that after Jackson Lee refused to resign that one member of the board of the CBCF stepped down in protest, and that others are expected to follow.

The CBCF denies that it acted improperly after the rape allegations were made against their former intern coordinator.

Jackson Lee's office has also denied the allegations in the lawsuit from the former intern.

"The Office adamantly denies the allegations that it retaliated against, or otherwise improperly treated, the plaintiff," the statement read. "It is against office policy to discuss specific details about internal personnel matters."