Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett, currently vying for a seat in the U.S. Senate, addressed her stance on reparations during a Thursday appearance on REVOLT News’ “The People’s Brief,” opting to focus on legislative pragmatism and a comparison to President Donald Trump rather than detailing specific mechanisms for financial redress.
The conversation was sparked when host Lynae Vanee brought up what she termed “misinformation” regarding Crockett’s position. The topic has followed the Congresswoman since an April 2024 appearance on “The Black Lawyers Podcast,” where she expressed openness to the idea of exempting Black Americans from paying taxes as a form of reparations.
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When given the opportunity to clarify those past remarks on Thursday, Crockett did not explicitly revisit the tax exemption proposal. Instead, she framed the issue around the difficulty of moving legislation forward in the current political climate.
“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,” Crockett told Vanee. “And so for me, it’s always been about: what is it that we can actually get passed?”
She noted that while the conversation around reparations is constant, the practical application often remains undefined.
“I feel like what we do is we constantly have the conversation and we’re like ‘Reparations, reparations.’ But it’s like, all right, so if we were to move forward in any way, what does that look like?” she said, adding that it requires “bold, unapologetic people to move the needle.”
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Crockett then pivoted the discussion to Donald Trump, contrasting the scrutiny placed on reparations for slavery with the former President’s suggestions regarding defendants from the January 6 Capitol riot.
“We know that Donald Trump advocated for reparations for January 6ers, right? And so it’s like, why is that not a big controversy?” Crockett asked. “That’s a bit more controversial in my mind.”
She also drew a parallel to economic policy, questioning why permanent tax cuts for billionaires are politically acceptable while discussions on compensating Black Americans for the economic impact of slavery remain stalled.
READ: “Hitler” And “Slave Patrols” Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Unleashes Attacks On Trump, ICE
Beyond the interview, Crockett has been active in the House regarding racial equity measures. In June, she introduced the “United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Concurrent Resolution.” The legislation aims to establish a congressional commission to examine the long-term effects of systemic racism and ongoing racial inequities.
The political headwinds for direct financial reparations remain stiff. According to a YouGov poll conducted earlier this year between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9, only 38% of American adults support the idea of reparations for the descendants of enslaved people.
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