During a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on April 3, Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) recounted how she secured a public defender position by emphasizing her race.
Crockett stated, “When I first became a public defender, I had no criminal defense experience. I walked in, and I told my boss, Charlie, I said, ‘Listen, you should hire me.’ He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because I’m Black.’ Charlie looked at me like I was crazy.” Crockett argued that her racial background would enable her to establish rapport with clients that others might not achieve.
Her comments ignited a firestorm on social media. The “Libs of TikTok” account labeled her a DEI hire, writing, “INCREDIBLE. Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett publicly admits that she only got her job as a public defender because she was Black. Crockett is a DEI hire, CONFIRMED.”
Legal scholar Carol Swain expressed astonishment, exclaiming, “Wow! This EXPLAINS a lot!” Conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Townhall Media’s Matt Vespa also criticized her remarks.
Crockett defended diversity initiatives in law enforcement, asserting that victims benefit from interacting with officers who resemble them. She emphasized the importance of having representatives who “look like me” to ensure fair treatment and thorough investigations.
This incident adds to Crockett’s history of controversial statements. In November 2024, she confronted Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) during a hearing on the “Dismantle DEI Act,” challenging his use of the term “oppression” and highlighting historical injustices faced by Black Americans. More recently, in March 2025, she referred to Texas Governor Greg Abbott as “Governor Hot Wheels,” a comment that drew bipartisan criticism.
