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Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett continues to find ways to bring herself into the headlines, this time drawing pushback for comments she made about crime, attempting to use poverty as a justification for theft.
This happened during a recent appearance on the Grounded Podcast, hosted by former U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), where she said, "I want people to understand that there are crimes that are committed by people not because they are criminals, but because they are literally trying to survive."
She pointed specifically to those stealing things like diapers and food that they can't afford and praised the Dallas County District Attorney for saying that he wouldn't be punishing those types of crimes.
Members of the law enforcement community are now calling out Crockett, saying that the truth is, most thefts have nothing to do with struggles for survival. Ray Hunt with the Houston Police Officers Union said, "Most of the time, these are smash-and-grabs; these are people stealing racks of diapers, whole boxes of formula, going out, and reselling them. It's ridiculous to compare the two."
Hunt also pointed out that with so many food pantries and donation centers available, especially in urban centers, poverty really isn't even an excuse for theft of necessities.