Today, Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant released the following statement regarding Congressman Steve Southerland’s comments that he had not read the Violence Against Women Act and that, “It doesn’t matter.”  

“Yet again, Congressman Steve Southerland has made it perfectly clear to the women of Florida’s Second Congressional District that he is not looking out for them in Washington. First he lied about voting against the Violence Against Women Act, and now he’s admitted to having never even read the bill before voting against it. Beyond that, he claims, ‘It doesn’t matter’ that he has not read it. 

“Congressman Southerland, it does matter. It matters to North Florida that their Congressman voted against the Violence Against Women Act without even reading it. It’s simply unacceptable, and voters will remember as they head to the polls that Congressman Southerland’s schedule was too busy with men-only fundraisers to read a bill trying to stop violence against women.”