Katie Britt’s State of the Union story about child sex abuse criticized by victim – US politics live

Karla Jacinto Romero says lawmakers lack empathy when using human trafficking for political purposes

Good morning US politics readers. A sex trafficking victim has criticized the Republican senator Katie Britt after the lawmaker inaccurately used her story in her rebuttal to Joe Biden’s State of the Union address as part of an attack on his border control policies.

In that speech, Britt described traveling to the Del Rio sector of the US-Mexico border and cited the case of a woman who had been sex-trafficked at age 12 and raped multiple times. The senator implied these were a direct result of the ongoing crisis at the border, which Republicans have sought to exploit as a campaign issue.

I hardly ever cooperate with politicians, because it seems to me that they only want an image. They only want a photo – and that to me is not fair.

11am. Joe Biden will deliver remarks to the National League of Cities at the Marriott Marquis in DC.

11.45am. Biden will depart DC for Manchester, New Hampshire

2.30pm. The Senate intelligence committee has an open hearing on worldwide threats. The House rules committee will meet to prepare several measures for floor consideration.

2.30pm. Biden will deliver remarks on lowering costs for American families in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

3.35pm. Biden will participate in a campaign event in Manchester.