Attica Scott

Attica Woodson Scott (born January 30, 1972[1][2]) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A member of the Democratic Party, she serves in the Kentucky House of Representatives for the 41st district.

Attica Scott
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
from the 41st district
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded byTom Riner
Member of the Louisville Metro Council
In office
2011–2014
Preceded byJudy Green
Succeeded byJessica Green
Personal details
BornJanuary 30, 1972
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materKnoxville College
University of Tennessee
OccupationCommunity organizer

Early life and education

Scott graduated from Knoxville College with a bachelor's degree in political science, and earned a graduate degree from the University of Tennessee in communications. She worked as a community organizer on the issues of racial equality and criminal justice.[3]

Political career

The Louisville Metro Council selected Scott to replace Judy Green, who they removed from the council due to ethics violations, in 2011.[4] She won a special election to fill the remainder of Green's term in 2012,[5] but lost her reelection in 2014 to Jessica Green, Judy's daughter.[6]

In 2016, Scott ran for the Kentucky House, defeating Democratic incumbent Tom Riner in the primary election. She had no Republican Party opponent in the general election, and became the first African American woman to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly since 2000.[3]

In 2020, Scott supported a bill called Maternal Care Access and Reducing Emergencies Act in the Kentucky Legislature to improve maternal health.[7] She sponsored House Bill 54 that would remove the tax on certain baby products, diapers, wipes, baby bottles, nipples for the bottles, liners for the baby bottles to reduce the expenses for families on those necessities.[8]

Community organizer

Scott works as a community organizer on the issues of racial equality and criminal justice.[3]

Personal life

Scott is a single mother and has two children,[3][9] one of whom is racial justice activist Shameka Parrish-Wright, who was arrested with her at a protest in Louisville in late 2020 and later also absolved of all charges.[10]

Participation in Louisville protests, subsequent arrest and felony rioting charges, and vindication

In late May and June 2020, Scott marched during protests in Louisville after the Shooting of Breonna Taylor.[11] During the protest she made accusations of excessive use of force against protesters by law enforcement. Scott claimed that she and her daughter, along with other protesters, were sprayed with tear gas without warning by police during the protest.[11][12] She was critical of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's decision to send in the Kentucky National Guard to support Louisville Metro Police in controlling protesters[13] and has called for the resignation of Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, claiming that the public had lost confidence in his ability to address police brutality, and to hold Louisville police accountable in the shooting deaths of Breonna Taylor and David McAtee.[14][15]

On September 24, 2020, Scott was arrested in Louisville during protests, but before the start of the curfew, and spent the night in jail, then along with 17 others Scott was charged with felony first-degree rioting, misdemeanor failure to disperse and misdemeanor unlawful assembly.[10][16] The charge of rioting was dismissed on October 6 and the misdemeanor charges were dropped on November 16.[10]

References
  1. "Legislator-Profile". Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  2. "A Q&A with Attica Scott". Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  3. "Kentucky Elects First African American Woman to State Legislature in 20 Years". Nbcnews.com. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  4. "First day on the job for Judy Green's replacement - WDRB 41 Louisville News". Wdrb.com. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  5. "Attica Scott loses, other incumbents coast to wins in Metro Council primaries - WDRB 41 Louisville News". Wdrb.com. May 20, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  6. Anna-Lysa Gayle (May 21, 2014). "Attica Scott loses race to daughter of former councilwoman". Wlky.com. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  7. "Rep. Attica Scott in Lexington rallying support for a bill to improve maternal healthcare in Kentucky". WLEX. January 5, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  8. Ansari, Maira. "Proposed bill would mean savings for Kentucky families with small children". wave3.com. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  9. 2:28 p.m. ET August 11, 2014 (August 11, 2014). "A mother's fear for her black son". Courier-journal.com. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  10. Cummings, Darron (November 17, 2020). "All protest charges dropped against Kentucky lawmaker". Across America. The Philadelphia Tribune. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020.
  11. "'Love, Support For One Another, Resistance': What Protests Look Like In Louisville". NPR.org. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  12. "Rep. Attica Scott Upset with LMPD Protest Response". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  13. Smith, Marcus Green and Lawrence. "National Guard leader predicts probe will show 'measured response' in David McAtee shooting". WDRB. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  14. Elahi, Amina (June 11, 2020). "Support For Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer Wanes As Protests Continue". 89.3 WFPL News Louisville. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  15. Loosemore, Bailey. "After nights of protest, Louisville is hurting. Where does the city go from here?". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  16. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/09/25/breonna-taylor-protest-scott-arrest/
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