Representative Erica C. Crawley - District 26

State Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) issued a statement on Wednesday’s inauguration of Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States, cementing Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

Today, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President State Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) was sworn in by Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart, followed by the following officers: State Reps. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland), Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati), Erica Crawley (D-Columbus), Sedrick Denson (D-Cincinnati), and State Sens. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus), and Vernon Sykes (D-Akron). The change in leadership is also accompanied by the appointment of a new director of the caucus, Tony Bishop. The new leadership team briefly outlined a plan to better engage Black Ohioans and build the necessary coalitions across the state to improve the everyday lives of all Ohioans. The new leadership team issued the statements below following their swearing-in.

COLUMBUS– Today, State Senator Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) and State Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) issued the following joint statement on the police-involved shooting death of an unarmed Black man in Columbus early yesterday, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020.

Late Thursday, House Democrats delivered impassioned floor speeches against a last-minute, unvetted amendment to House Bill 175, Shoot First legislation that would permit the use of deadly force by individuals who believe their lives are endangered in any space, something Democrats say goes too far, and would threaten Black lives and make all Ohioans less safe. Then, in a move to silence more Democratic opposition, Republicans employed a rarely used parliamentary procedure to prematurely end debate, and voted to ram the bill through along party lines.