Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett has made headlines by claiming that former Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election due to systemic racism in America. Speaking at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual gala, Crockett passionately argued that Harris, whom she described as “the person that should have been president,” was ultimately defeated by deeply rooted racial biases in the nation’s electorate.
The Texas Democrat expressed her emotional distress following the election results, revealing that she struggled to process Harris’s loss. “I almost couldn’t get out of bed. When I tell y’all – I’m getting emotional,” she said, her voice cracking. “I traveled this country because I knew, I knew it was going to be bad. I didn’t know it was going to be this fing bats.” Crockett further emphasized that Harris faced unique challenges as both a woman and a person of color, adding, “I knew that the obstacles were going to be even greater because not only was it a woman, but it was a woman of color.”
However, Crockett’s remarks were not the only source of controversy surrounding her this year. The congresswoman recently came under fire after suggesting that billionaire Elon Musk should be “taken down.” Her comments sparked immediate backlash, prompting Attorney General Pam Bondi to issue a stern warning. “She is an elected public official, so she needs to tread very carefully because nothing will happen to Elon Musk, and we are going to fight to protect all the Tesla owners throughout this country,” Bondi said during an appearance on Fox News.
Bondi also reiterated her commitment to stopping the growing violence against Tesla dealerships and owners, referencing recent incidents of vandalism and arson targeting the electric vehicle manufacturer. “This includes putting electric cars on fire and painting mean things on them,” she added, underlining the seriousness of the attacks.
Crockett’s comments were made during a nationwide call with the Tesla Takedown movement, a self-described “peaceful protest platform” that encourages Tesla stockholders and owners to divest from the company. During the call, Crockett tied her remarks to an upcoming “Global Day of Action” and explicitly linked financial pressure to social change. “On March 29, it’s my birthday. All I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down,” she told the group. “I have learned, as I serve on the DOGE Oversight Committee, that there is only one language that the people in charge understand right now, and that language is money.”
Following the backlash, Crockett attempted to clarify her remarks, insisting that her calls to action were strictly nonviolent and meant to inspire a figurative fight for democracy. “We know that we are peaceful, loving people, and this is not about violence,” she said in part. Despite her clarification, Republican lawmakers have called on the FBI and the Justice Department to investigate her statements, alleging they could incite violence against Tesla dealerships and their customers.
The push for an investigation intensified after AG Bondi charged three individuals with “domestic terrorism” last week for their alleged roles in violent attacks against Tesla properties. Several Tesla charging stations, dealerships, and vehicles have been vandalized, which critics argue is a targeted effort against Musk due to his perceived political alignment with former President Donald Trump and his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The controversy escalated when a clip from Crockett’s recent podcast interview circulated online, further fueling calls for action. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona joined other GOP lawmakers in sending a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, urging an inquiry into what they claim is a coordinated effort to intimidate and coerce Tesla owners and investors. “I think the rhetoric is abominable,” Biggs said in an interview with Steve Bannon. “It’s not what we would call political discourse, it’s not civil discourse, and so today I sent a letter, joined by a number of my colleagues, to FBI Director Kash Patel, and I’ve reminded him what USC 18 § 2335 says about domestic terrorism.”
Biggs continued, arguing that Crockett’s rhetoric meets the legal definition of domestic terrorism. “And domestic terrorism includes people who are inciting. They’re using this domestic terrorism to actually try to intimidate government officials to change policy. That is what you are seeing happening here,” he asserted. He went on to claim that Crockett and her allies bear criminal responsibility comparable to those actively committing violent acts, stating, “What they are saying is that they want to see these people punished physically and violently, that is contrary to law. That’s domestic terrorism.”
In their letter to Director Patel, the GOP lawmakers cited federal statutes that define domestic terrorism as acts that “involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, such as violence or threatening or intimidating.” The lawmakers argue that recent attacks on Tesla properties fit this definition, as they are intended to “intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.”
The letter further condemned what they called a “conspiracy of violence” against Tesla owners, warning that the movement’s tactics—including doxing individuals and encouraging property destruction—are rapidly escalating. “Of course, these despicable acts are growing in an organized way to intimidate ordinary citizens who simply own a car manufactured by Tesla,” the group stated. “Those behind this conspiracy of violence are now trying to dox Tesla owners and are encouraging vandalism and violence.”
As the debate continues, the political ramifications of Crockett’s statements remain to be seen. With calls for an official investigation gaining momentum, the controversy surrounding her remarks has only intensified, putting both her political future and the broader conversation about corporate influence, free speech, and activism into the national spotlight.