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Sheila Jackson Lee Repeatedly Confuses Sandy Hook With Superstorm Sandy on CNN

August 29, 2017

Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) on Tuesday fielded questions from CNN about her voting record on Hurricane Sandy and referred to the storm as "Sandy Hook" several different times, even after hosts corrected her.

Lee called the storm Sandy Hook —the name of a Connecticut elementary school where 20 children and six teachers were killed in 2012—at least four times, prompting corrections from the hosts of CNN's "New Day." Lee was in a Houston shelter for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, when Alisyn Camerota asked about her votes on Hurricane Sandy relief, and Lee said she did help "Sandy Hook victims."

"As I said, I voted on legislation to help the Sandy Hook victims," Lee replied to Camerota's question.

"Superstorm Sandy," Camerota interjected.

"Sandy super storm," Lee immediately said, before making the same mistake seconds later.

"The Sandy Hook vote took many times and my vote was for the maximum amount of money," Lee said in the course of answering.

Later, she was asked about Gov. Chris Christie (R., N.J.) urging House members to fund Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and Lee called him "Crispy."

"We thank Governor Crispy," Lee said.

After the segment ended, co-host Chris Cuomo clarified for the audience one more time that they were talking about Hurricane Sandy, not Sandy Hook.