Jasmine Crockett faces backlash after mocking Greg Abbott’s wheelchair at LGBTQ rights event
Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett faces strong criticism for mocking Governor Greg Abbott's wheelchair during a speech at an LGBTQ rights event.
U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat from Dallas, is facing harsh criticism after making a mockery of Governor Greg Abbott's wheelchair during a speech at a Los Angeles dinner hosted by the Human Rights Campaign.
Her comment, which referred to Abbott as “Gov. Hot Wheels,” quickly sparked a wave of backlash, especially from Republican leaders who denounced her remarks as despicable and shameful. Crockett’s comments have ignited a larger debate about the boundaries of political discourse and respect for individuals with disabilities.
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Jasmine Crockett's 'Hot Wheels' remark sparks controversy
Jasmine Crockett's comments were met with criticism from Republican leaders, including Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Senator John Cornyn, who labeled the comment “shameful”. Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, called her "out of touch and completely unhinged".
“When you’ve got no message and no agenda, all that’s left is hate.” he declared.
Greg Abbott’s disability: a repeated controversy
Greg Abbott's disability started when a tree fell onto him while he was running over 40 years ago. However, Rep. Jasmine Crockett is not the first one to mock his wheelchair use. In 2019, Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt apologized after a similar remark about Abbott’s injury. She said Abbott “hates trees because one fell on him.”
Similarly, two staffers of Empower Texans, a right-wing advocacy group, also faced backlash after an audio of them cursing out Greg Abbot because of his disability, was made public.