Radical Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has argued that sharp rhetorical “clapbacks” carry greater importance than strict accuracy in the current political environment.
Speaking with Vox interviewer Amistead Herndon, Crockett reflected on a prior verbal clash with then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) during a congressional hearing.
Crockett said Greene had a “bleach blonde, bad built butch body.”
Recalling the comment prompted Herndon to ask:
“As much as the phrase blew up, should we want our politicians to be clapback artists?”
“I think that in this moment you have to understand that politics has changed,” Crockett replied.
She continued by claiming Democrats are “viewed as the doormat for the Republicans.”
“[Voters] continue to say, ‘Where’s the opposition? Where’s the fight?’
“And instead we continue to say, ‘These are the rules, and we try to play by the rules,’ as they literally are shooting people dead in the middle of the street.
“And there’s no accountability.”
Herndon then pressed Crockett about a separate incident in which she appeared to suggest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, a former Republican congressman, had taken money from Jeffrey Epstein.
Notably, Crockett confused one of Zeldin’s donors, who is named Dr. Jeffrey Epstein, with the late sex trafficker.
“When I see the moment on the House where you seem to accuse Republican Lee Zeldin of taking money from Jeffrey Epstein, but it seemed like if it was not the same person, I wonder, like, is there times in which the rhetoric goes too far?” Herndon asked.
“There are times in which you should say, you know, ‘Maybe I messed that one up?’”
“No, not in this environment. I don’t,” Crockett responded.
“I think that, you know, we are really in uncharted territory.”
“So, I hear your argument that you’re reflecting the urgency necessary and, so, that’s why you won’t give an inch,” Herndon said.
“Correct,” Crockett replied.
WATCH:
Dispute Over Epstein Reference
Crockett drew controversy in November after mentioning Zeldin while listing individuals and entities she said had taken money from “somebody” named Jeffrey Epstein.
Zeldin pushed back in a post on X, explaining that the donor in question was a physician with the same name as the disgraced financier.
“Yes, Crockett, a physician named Dr. Jeffrey Epstein (who is a totally different person than the other Jeffrey Epstein) donated to a prior campaign of mine,” Zeldin wrote, reposting footage of Crockett’s remarks.
He then added in all caps: “NO [clap emoji] FREAKIN [clap emoji] RELATION [clap emoji] YOU [clap emoji] GENIUS!!!”
When confronted by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Crockett denied accusing Zeldin of receiving money from the convicted sex offender.
Crockett argued that she “never said that it was that Jeffrey Epstein.”
“Unlike Republicans, I at least don’t go out and just tell lies,” Crockett later added.
“So, number one, I made sure that I was clear that it was a Jeffrey Epstein, but I never said that it was specifically that Jeffrey Epstein,” she said during the interview.
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