Rashida Tlaib

DemocratU.S. Representative, MI-12

Age	49 (b. 1976-07-24)
Gender	Female
In office since	2019-01-03 (~7 yrs)
Race / ethnicity	Arab American (Palestinian American)
Religion	Islam (Muslim)
Education	B.A. in Political Science, Wayne State University (1998); J.D., Thomas M. Cooley Law School / Western Michigan University (2004); admitted to Michigan Bar (2007)
Prior occupation	Attorney, legal advocate, community organizer
Military service	No
Birthplace	Detroit, Michigan
Languages	English, Arabic
Marital status	Divorced — Fayez Tlaib (ex-husband; married 1998, divorced 2015)
Children	2
Residence	Detroit, Michigan area

Wikipedia · Ballotpedia · OpenSecrets · Official site

Pending research: notable relatives · openly lgbtq.

Career & politics

First elected	2008
Previous offices	Michigan House of Representatives, 12th District (2009-2012) · Michigan House of Representatives, 6th District (2013-2014) · U.S. Representative, Michigan's 13th Congressional District (2019-2023)
Committees	House Committee on Financial Services (Housing and Insurance Subcommittee) · House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Caucuses	Congressional Progressive Caucus · Justice Democrats · Democratic Socialists of America · Congressional Equality (LGBT) Caucus · Black Maternal Healthcare Caucus · Congressional Mamas' Caucus (Chair) · Get the Lead Out Caucus · Democratic Women's Caucus · Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus · HBCU Caucus · House Manufacturing Caucus · Medicare for All Caucus · Reproductive Freedom Caucus · Caucus on Global Migration · Gun Violence Prevention Task Force · Dads Caucus · Heartland Caucus · Haiti Caucus · Lebanon Caucus · Free Syria Caucus · Auto Caucus
Leadership	Chair, Congressional Mamas' Caucus
Ideology	Democratic socialist; member of 'The Squad'; among the most progressive members in the House per DW-NOMINATE and GovTrack ideology scores
Signature legislation	Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act (signed into law; protected vulnerable federal retirees from fraud by representative payees) · Emergency Water is a Human Right Act (co-sponsored; end water shutoffs; $1.1B pandemic fund included in relief package) · Restoring Communities Left Behind Act ($3B secured through Build Back Better Act, passed House) · Justice for All (JFA) Act of 2022 (restoring civil rights law protections, disparate impact)

Financial

Net worth: disclosed $-673,979–$289,997 (2023) · estimate

Rental property, Detroit, MI	real_estate · $100,001–$250,000 · 2023
American Funds Europacific Growth Fund R6	fund · $15,001–$50,000 · 2023
Dodge & Cox Stock Fund—Class X	fund · $15,001–$50,000 · 2023
State Street S&P 500 Index Non-Lending Series Fund Class A	fund · $15,001–$50,000 · 2023

Top industries: Health Professionals · Subcontractors

Scandals & crimes ledger

resolved — House Ethics Committee Finding: Improper Post-Election Campaign Salary Payments

campaign-finance · 2018-11-07 · House Committee on Ethics · Committee unanimously found that Tlaib violated the Federal Election Campaign Act by receiving $10,800 in campaign salary payments after the 2018 general election when she was no longer a candidate. Tlaib was directed to reimburse her campaign committee $10,800 within one year. No further sanction was imposed. The committee found no evidence of ill intent, characterizing the violation as 'bad timing.'

The Office of Congressional Ethics referred the matter in August 2019 after finding substantial reason to believe Tlaib converted campaign funds for personal use by receiving salary payments totaling $17,500 after her November 2018 general election victory. The House Ethics Committee conducted a full investigation and, on August 7, 2020, unanimously found that $10,800 of those payments violated FECA personal-use restrictions. Tlaib was ordered to repay that amount to her campaign committee. The committee found no evidence of intent to enrich herself improperly. A related FEC matter (MUR 7579) was dismissed by the FEC 5-1 in December 2021 under prosecutorial discretion.

Sources: Congress.gov / House Report 116-473 · The Hill · Roll Call · Office of Congressional Ethics · FEC.gov MUR 7579

resolved — Arrest for Crowding/Obstructing a Street — Supreme Court Abortion Rights Protest

criminal-other · 2022-07-19 · U.S. Capitol Police / D.C. Metropolitan Police · Tlaib was arrested along with Rep. Andy Levin and several other House Democrats participating in a sit-in outside the U.S. Supreme Court. She was charged under the D.C. Code with crowding or obstructing a street and fined $50. Released shortly after arrest.

On July 19, 2022, following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Tlaib participated in a sit-in protest in front of the Supreme Court building organized by the Center for Popular Democracy Action. She was arrested along with Rep. Andy Levin and several other Democratic members of Congress, charged with crowding or obstructing a street under D.C. Code, and fined $50. She was released shortly after arrest. This was a civil infraction-level charge commonly used for protest-related arrests.

Sources: Detroit News · Click On Detroit · Michigan Public Radio

resolved — House Censure for Israel-Hamas War Comments (H.Res. 845)

ethics-violation · 2023-11-07 · U.S. House of Representatives · Censure passed 234–188. Twenty-two Democrats joined nearly all Republicans. The censure is a formal public reprimand but does not strip Tlaib of rights or privileges in Congress.

The House voted 234–188 to censure Rep. Tlaib via H.Res. 845, sponsored by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), for allegedly promoting false narratives about the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and for using the phrase 'from the river to the sea,' which the resolution characterized as a call for the destruction of Israel. The censure was a formal public rebuke but carried no further penalty. Tlaib remained in office and stated she would not be silenced.

Sources: Roll Call · Congress.gov · NBC News