Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) said this week that poverty can drive people to commit certain crimes and suggested that not all offenses should result in prosecution if they involve basic survival needs.
Speaking Wednesday on the Grounded podcast, Crockett, who previously worked as a public defender, drew a connection between economic hardship and criminal activity.
“There is a direct link between poverty and susceptibility to having to engage in certain things,” she said.
While acknowledging that not everyone in poverty resorts to crime, Crockett argued that financial circumstances often push individuals toward unlawful behavior.
“There are crimes that are committed, not because people are criminals, but because they literally are trying to survive,” she stated.
Crockett cited comments made by Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, who in the past indicated his office would not prosecute theft cases involving small amounts of essential goods such as food or diapers.
Crockett said Creuzot “probably shouldn’t have said it out loud,” but agreed with the underlying policy, adding that “there is no good point in doing it because a decent defense attorney would have a defense.”
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Her remarks add to a growing record of controversial statements on crime and politics.
On the same day the podcast episode was released, Crockett appeared on MSNBC and accused President Donald Trump of “unlawfully going into various minority controlled cities” with the National Guard.
The Texas congresswoman has also attracted attention for previous comments about political violence and Republican policies.
In July, she told The Atlantic that her large social media following made her the strongest choice to lead Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.
Some interesting details from The Atlantic’s profile of Rep. Jasmine Crockett:
1. Her phone’s lock screen is a photo of herself
2. She thought she deserved to be the top Dem on Oversight because she has the largest social media following
3. She tried to shut down the profile… pic.twitter.com/CvRlFtRNkd— Amber Duke (@ambermarieduke) July 28, 2025
The position ultimately went to Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA).
That same month, Crockett said in an interview that “all violence” in American politics comes from Trump supporters, despite multiple recent high-profile attacks linked to left-wing actors.
Earlier this year, Crockett clashed with Republicans in a committee hearing over legislation related to women’s sports.
During the exchange, she accused GOP lawmakers of pushing “demonic” policies in their efforts to keep men out of women’s athletics.
Crockett, first elected to Congress in 2022, has been promoted by several Democratic activists since her arrival in Washington.
In May, then-DNC vice chair David Hogg praised her publicly, saying she represented “the type of leader we’re looking to support.”
Her recent comments on poverty and crime add to an ongoing debate over prosecutorial discretion and how law enforcement should respond to thefts involving basic necessities.
Supporters of policies like those cited by Crockett argue that such measures prioritize limited resources and address root causes of crime.
Critics maintain that they risk excusing unlawful behavior and undermining enforcement of the law.
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