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East Bay lawmaker who brought newborn to vote says working families not valued enough
Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who has gained attention for bringing her one month old baby to the assembly floor Monday after her request to participate remotely was denied, joins The Four and describes how she hope this conversation leads to valuing working families more.
SACRAMENT, Calif. (KTVU) - An East Bay lawmaker brought her baby on to the assembly floor Monday after her request to participate remotely was denied.
"I was actually in the middle of feeding my daughter when this bill came up, and I ran down on the floor today because I strongly believe we need to pass this bill," said Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who represents the 15th District.
Wicks traveled to Sacramento from Oakland with her one-month-old daughter Elly, the final day of the legislative session.
The assemblywoman had concerns over the coronavirus and asked that one of her colleagues vote on her behalf, but she was told that maternity leave did not qualify her as high-risk for the virus.
Video and images of Wicks on the Assembly floor with her baby in tow were widely shared on social media and caught the attention of former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Clinton, a mother herself, tweeted out, "California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks was told that having recently given birth wasn’t sufficient excuse to cast a vote remotely."
While Wicks' determination to show up and get things done is deserving of praise, it also highlights the sacrifices that so many women make as they juggle motherhood and a career.