A Texas congressional candidate is facing criticism for allegedly overstating his work experience in the office of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Chron reports that Isaiah Martin, who is running for the state’s 18th Congressional District, said in a campaign video that he served as one of Jackson Lee’s “senior advisors.” Critics say that claim is inaccurate.

“I usually don’t weigh in on things like this, but Isaiah, brother. You can’t go around claiming you were a ‘senior advisor’ to SJL,” wrote Remmington Belford, a former communications director and senior legislative assistant for Jackson Lee. “Those of us who worked for her, and knew her well, wear that as a badge of honor.”

“What you’re purporting is a lie,” Belford added. “Not cool.”

Political content creators, including Howdy Politics, said Martin was not listed on Jackson Lee’s campaign finance reports. “It’s okay to say you were a volunteer and learned from that experience,” the post read.

In response, Martin told Chron that Jackson Lee personally appointed him as a senior advisor in 2022, a role he said lasted until her death in 2024. “This was a position she gave to me personally,” he said. “From social media to policy-related issues, I was there to assist in anything the congresswoman needed.”

Lillie Coney, Jackson Lee’s former chief of staff, supported Martin’s statement. “He was a very close senior advisor,” she said, rejecting claims to the contrary. Belford later responded that his objections were about the facts, “not the feelings.”