Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is standing firm in her defense of labeling Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) comments toward her as "racist" during a heated House Oversight Committee hearing on Thursday. The fallout from the explosive exchange, which saw both lawmakers launch personal attacks on each other's appearance, has spilled into its fourth day, with reactions from fellow lawmakers and the public continuing to pour in.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, Crockett explained her remarks in response to Greene saying, "I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you're reading" during the committee hearing. "MAGA has historically been on social media doing the things where they're saying, 'Oh, she's Black with lashes and nails and hair, and so she's ghetto,'" Crockett told host Jake Tapper. "It is buying into a racist trope."
Crockett emphasized that although she signed up to be a member of Congress, it didn't mean she had to tolerate being disrespected. She also took a jab at the group of House Republicans who attended former President Donald Trump's hush money trial in Manhattan on Thursday, just hours before the contentious hearing. "The problem with MAGA is that MAGA does not respect rules, nor do they respect the law," she said.
The exchange between Crockett and Greene has garnered attention from other lawmakers, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) calling it "absurd" that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) implied he was a bully after his comments on the rowdy interaction. Ocasio-Cortez had suggested that Fetterman had become a bully who "likely would not have stood up for your colleague and seem to be confused about racism and misogyny being a 'both sides' issue."
Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile offered advice to Crockett on ABC's "This Week," saying, "Don't take the bait." However, Crockett remains unapologetic about her response to Greene, which included a critique of her "bleach blonde, bad built, butch body."
The heated exchange occurred during a House hearing that was supposed to determine if U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland could be held in contempt of Congress. Greene had asked if any Democrats on the committee were employing Judge Juan Merchan's daughter, referring to the judge presiding over Trump's hush money trial in New York. Crockett questioned the relevance of Greene's query, leading to the personal attacks.
In the wake of the incident, Crockett has announced the launch of a merchandise line featuring her now-infamous comment, with proceeds going towards ensuring a Democratic majority in the House. The first item to be released will be a t-shirt bearing the slogan "Bleach blond bad built butch body."
The ongoing fallout from the Crockett-Greene exchange has highlighted the deep partisan divide and the increasingly personal nature of attacks in Congress. While some have criticized both lawmakers for their comments, others have rallied behind their respective representatives, further entrenching the political divide.
