Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, made waves Wednesday during a House Judiciary Subcommittee meeting. She said being Black helped her land a job as a public defender—despite having no experience.
She shared the story while defending diversity in law enforcement. The meeting focused on alleged FBI corruption under the Biden administration.
“When I first became a public defender, I had no criminal defense experience,” Crockett said. “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,” she added. “And I said, ‘Let me tell you something. When I walk in, I'm going to walk in with a level of rapport and understanding that maybe some of my other colleagues will not.’”
She said the boss hired her. “I worked my butt off and I worked really, really hard for all of my clients, not just those that look like me. That is what it looks like to serve,” she explained.
Public defenders represent people who can’t afford attorneys. Crockett used her personal story to highlight how DEI can improve trust in the system.
The story went viral fast. Many on X mocked her, calling her a “DEI hire.”
“INCREDIBLE,” Libs of TikTok posted. “Crockett is a DEI hire, CONFIRMED.”
Carol Swain wrote, “Wow! This EXPLAINS a lot!” Charlie Kirk added, “Jasmine Crockett brags about being a DEI hire.” Matt Vespa called her “a cartoon character.”
Crockett didn’t back down. She said DEI in law enforcement helps victims feel seen and respected.
“We want somebody to show up, and we don’t want them to look at us and act as if just because I’m Black or because I’m a woman that I am not worthy of having that case investigated,” she said.
She closed by doubling down on her point. “That is why we should have somebody that may show up and looks like me.”