Ohio Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones has died of the brain aneurysm she suffered Tuesday night.
A joint statement from her family, Huron Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic said her medical condition had declined through the day, and Tubbs Jones died at 6:12 p.m. She was 58.
"She dedicated her life in public service to helping others and will continue to do so through organ donations," the statement said. "Please keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time."
Sadly, some of the coverage of Tubbs Jones's illness probably a difficult situation even harder for her friends and family, as CNN and the Cleveland Plain Dealer (and, yes, briefly, Salon) reported this afternoon that she had already died -- then issued awkward corrections.
Tubbs Jones was first elected to the House in 1998 from a district that stretched from Cleveland into its suburbs. She chaired the House Ethics Committee and served on the Ways and Means Committee. She was an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton's during the Democratic primary campaign, but endorsed Barack Obama in June, once the primaries ended. Salon's Joan Walsh shared some poignant memories of watching Tubbs Jones on the campaign trail earlier today.
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