This is Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee:
She somehow convinced someone at United to force-cancel a passenger out of their first class seat, and give it to Congresswoman Lee, who was privately escorted onto the plane first before any of the other passengers.
Political favors, perhaps?
Jean-Marie Simon plunked down 140,000 United miles to purchase a First Class seat well in advance, and then arrived to the airport to find that her reservation had been canceled. A United attendant told her that united.com had changed her reservation an hour earlier and upgraded another passenger to her seat.
Then the gate agent acted very rude and obnoxious with her, and then shoved a $300 voucher for future flights in her face, barking, "Take it and get on the plane, or go find a flight somewhere else."
When Simon asked for an additional voucher for a meal, stating that people giving up their seats voluntarily often get more than $300, the gate agent flippantly replied, "And I want a Mercedes Benz, but I’m not going to get it."
She then attempted to take a photo of her occupied seat while on the plane, and a flight attendant threatened to have her kicked off the plane if she took another photo.
She only later learned that Congresswoman Lee was the one who ended up in her seat, but remembered seeing a United employee grab her from the passenger boarding line and escort her onto the plane first.
United is trying to avoid discussing this situation, and only put out a weak claim that their "internal systems showed she canceled the flight due to weather delays" -- a statement so non-committal that it's pretty much dripping with dishonesty. Notice the "internal systems showed" part, which allows them to backpedal later and claim a computer error.
They have not explained how Congresswoman Lee got Simon's seat, nor will they explain why she was given a private boarding.
Shaaaaaaaaaady.
Perhaps Lee is on some committee where United needs favors done?
Oh, and rather than apologize to Simon for what occurred, Lee decided to play the race card and make herself the victim.
Lovely woman.