Shooting victim Gabrielle Giffords to resign from Congress
Shooting victim Gabrielle Giffords to resign from Congress
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona says she will resign from Congress this week, her staff said today, and not seek re-election when her current term expires this year.
“I have more work to do on my recovery and so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week,” Giffords said in a video posted online Sunday. “Thank you for your prayers and for giving me time to recover.”
“Arizona is my home, always will be. A lot has happened over the past year. We need to not change that but I know on the issues we fought for we can change things for the better. We can do so much more by working together. I don’t remember much from that horrible day but I will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice. Thank you for your prayers and for giving me time to recover. I have more work to do on my recovery and so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week I’m getting better every day. My spirit is high. I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country.
On January 8, 2011, Giffords was a victim of a shooting near Tucson, which was reported to be an assassination attempt on her, at a supermarket where she was meeting publicly with constituents.
She was critically injured by a gunshot wound to the head; thirteen people were injured and six others were killed in the shooting, among them conservative federal judge John Roll.