Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat, has built a public persona as a fierce progressive, but newly uncovered financial records paint a far more complex picture of her interests.
As reported by Washington Free Beacon, Crockett failed to disclose ownership of stocks in at least 25 companies during her 2022 congressional run, despite admitting to these holdings in a 2021 Texas state disclosure.
These undisclosed assets include shares in giants like Amazon, ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, and even marijuana-related firms, while she also omitted reporting debts exceeding $110,000 in her federal filings. This glaring inconsistency raises questions about transparency, especially for a lawmaker who champions causes that often clash with the very industries she’s invested in.
Crockett’s portfolio, detailed in records obtained through a public records request, shows investments in fossil fuel and pharmaceutical companies, sectors she publicly critiques. Her ownership of ExxonMobil stock, for instance, sits uneasily with her vocal stance on climate change as an “existential crisis” disproportionately harming communities of color.
While she pushes for green energy transitions, these holdings suggest a personal stake in the status quo she rails against. It’s hard to reconcile such contradictions without wondering if the rhetoric is more performance than principle.
Beyond energy, her stakes in Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca tie her to Big Pharma, even as she advocated for COVID-19 vaccine mandates in 2021. That policy directly benefited these firms, and while correlation isn’t causation, the optics of personal gain from public positions are tough to ignore.
Crockett’s financial ties extend to the cannabis industry, where she sought to establish marijuana dispensaries in Ohio through Black Diamond Investments, a firm she partly owns. From 2018 to 2020, she was listed as a 20 percent owner and chief operations officer in the company’s application to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program.
Though the venture failed, she continued advocating for marijuana decriminalization in both Texas and Congress, co-sponsoring federal legislation as recently as August. Such persistence is notable, but it’s fair to ask if personal business interests color her policy priorities.
Adding another layer, in 2018, she defended Tyvon Montrel Gullatt, a Texarkana man convicted of murder in a botched marijuana deal. Representing someone caught in the trade’s darker side while pushing to profit from its legalization muddies the narrative of a pure civil rights crusader.
Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, didn’t mince words on the issue, stating, “Personal financial disclosure rules are in place to make sure Members of Congress do not engage in conflicts of interest while working for the American people.” Her point cuts to the core: rules exist for a reason, and Crockett’s discrepancies demand scrutiny.
Sutherland added, “The concerns surrounding the extreme discrepancies between Representative Crockett’s state and federal financial disclosures are certainly legitimate.” If proven intentional, such omissions could warrant penalties, a reminder that public trust isn’t just a slogan but a responsibility.
Federal law mandates detailed financial disclosures for congressional candidates and members, with false or incomplete reports potentially leading to civil or criminal consequences. Crockett’s silence—her office declined to comment—only fuels the perception of evasion at a time when clarity is needed most.
Crockett’s story isn’t just about undisclosed stocks or debts; it’s about the broader erosion of faith in elected officials who seem to play by different rules. While her progressive firebrand image wins applause in some circles, these revelations suggest a disconnect between words and actions that even her staunchest defenders must grapple with.
Her potential run for Senate in Texas, floated just recently, only heightens the stakes of this financial opacity. Voters deserve to know if their representatives are truly serving the public or quietly padding their own portfolios.
Ultimately, this isn’t about tearing down an individual but holding power to account, a principle that should unite us regardless of political stripe. Crockett has a chance to address these concerns head-on; the longer the silence, the louder the doubts grow.
