MIAMI, FL – Today, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), read a statement on the floor of United States House of Representatives stating her support for Susan Rice, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.  Ambassador Rice has been mentioned as a possible successor to outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Ambassador Rice has come under fire from Republican senators who question her handling of information following the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Libya that killed the U.S. Ambassador and three other Americans.

“I applaud President Obama for standing for what is right and what is just. I applaud President Obama for standing in support of Ambassador Rice. We all need to continue to stand for truth. We need to stand for transparency. We do not need to impugn our officials over rumors, dangerous hearsay, or conspiracy theories. We must not allow the post of Ms. Rice to be politicized as it has been,” says Congresswoman Wilson.

President Obama has defended Ambassador Rice’s handling of the attack. Senior Republican senators have vowed to block her nomination for Secretary of State. Ambassador Rice is being criticized for her comments following the deadly attack in Libya. The terrorist strike, which was carried out by Islamist militants, was first reported as being motivated by a defamatory film about the prophet Muhammad, which was made in the United States.  

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U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term Congresswoman from Florida representing parts of Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward counties. A former state legislator and school principal, she is the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school.