Stephanie Tubbs Jones dead at 58

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a strong supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton during the presidential primary, has died.

A spokesperson for the clinic said the congresswoman died at 6:12 p.m. Wednesday after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by an aneurysm that burst, according to the Associated Press.

The Tubbs Jones Family released a statement through Huron Hospital and Cleveland Clinic at 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday. The statement read:

"Throughout the course of the day and into this evening, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones' medical condition declined. Medical doctors and neurosurgeons from Huron Hospital and Cleveland Clinic sadly report that at 6:12 p.m. Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones died.

She dedicated her life in public service to helping others and will continue to do so through organ donations.

Please keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time."

Tubbs Jones, 58, had been admitted to a Cleveland-area hospital on Tuesday and reportedly remained unconscious Wednesday.

There were some reports that Tubbs Jones had died early Wednesday afternoon, but as of 3 p.m. Eastern time those reports had been retracted with the news that the congresswoman remained in critical condition with limited brain function.

A hospital spokesman declined to reveal specific information about the Ohio congresswoman's condition at the request of family members, but later doctors discussed her condition with the media.

Tubbs Jones became the first black woman to represent Ohio in Congress when she was elected in 1998.

Tubbs Jones was also scheduled to serve as a superdelegate for next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver. She was one of Senator Hillary Clinton's biggest supporters during the Ohio primary. She later endorsed Barack Obama after the primary season ended.

Tubbs Jones chaired the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and served on the influential House Ways and Means Committee.

Her district included most of downtown and eastern Cleveland and many of the eastern suburbs in Cuyahoga County including Euclid, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights.

The Cleveland Democrat was married for 27 years to Mervyn L. Jones, Sr., who died in 2003.

(Editor's Note: Updated August 20, 2008, 3:14 p.m. and again at 7:40 p.m. Please note that some comments were posted on the previous version of the article before Rep. Tubbs Jones passed away.)