Congressman Al Lawson, who defeated Brown in a Democratic primary last year, was circumspect in a statement issued by his office following the verdict.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Brown, her family, and all those affected,” he said. “I believe Jacksonville is a better place, because of her three decades of public service.”
Brown left the courtroom quietly, with her head hanging slightly, a contrast to the flamboyant and often bombastic style she used for years in confrontations with political opponents and the media.
She was a verbal pugilist, comparing an attempt to redraw her district to slavery and rhetorically asking reporters who inquired about the criminal charges whether they were pedophiles, as a way to point out that the allegations weren’t yet proven.
But the 12-term, Jacksonville-based congresswoman was also a master of constituent services, using “Corrine Delivers” as a slogan to tout her ability to bring home projects and services to the voters who elected her. That ability helped her cultivate a political base that seemed unassailable.
