A Florida House committee reprimanded Jacksonville Representative Angie Nixon (D – District 13) during a meeting in Tallahassee on Thursday.

The House Rules and Ethics Committee voted to formally reprimand Nixon following her use of a megaphone on the House floor while lawmakers were voting on new congressional district maps. Nixon called the redistricting a ‘slap in the face’ to minority communities and defended her actions at the time.

“They want to talk about I was lacking decorum, but what good is decorum if democracy is falling and they’re violating the Constitution and passing illegal maps,” Nixon previously told First Coast News.

Thursday’s meeting lasted less than 15 minutes with little debate among committee members. Fleming Island Republican and committee chair Rep. Sam Garrison called the reprimand a ‘serious’ and ‘measured’ action.

“I believe a reprimand is both appropriate and necessary. No one should take pleasure in reprimanding a fellow member. It stinks. I hate it. But when the choice is protecting the house and doing something unpleasant that I’d rather not deal with, my responsibility as chair is to protect the house,” Garrison explained.

The reprimand states Nixon specifically violated three House rules related to addressing the House, using props, and disrupting official legislative business. Nixon was not allowed to speak before the committee, though she did provide a written statement. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell argued that Nixon should have been given the opportunity to defend herself.

Nixon said she feels targeted by House leadership.

“I am just really disgusted and disappointed that House leadership decided to play petty politics instead of actually addressing the needs of hardworking people, and the fact that they can’t afford to live in Florida anymore. They decided to target me and to reprimand me simply because I wanted to make sure that voters weren’t silenced and that they had a voice,” Nixon explained.

Despite the reprimand, Nixon told First Coast News she does not regret her actions.

“I have absolutely no regrets about using the megaphone…I would’ve done it again and I would’ve did it with a bigger pink megaphone if I needed to,” Nixon said.

Lawmakers are in Tallahassee until May 29 for a special session to pass the state budget. If Nixon violates any more House rules, she could face formal censure.