Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who recently lost her Senate bid, is facing online backlash after she honored music artist Chris Brown by entering him into the congressional record this past weekend.
asserted
she → lose → record
"Now, y’all know I tend to get in trouble every once in a while.
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I → know → while
I’ma make this real quick.
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this → ’m → ?
I need to know who run it!
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who → need → it
So is Dallas in the building?" Crockett said as she took the stage alongside Brown on Saturday evening.
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she → say → evening
"Let’s give it up for Chris Brown," she added to applause from the audience.
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she → give → audience
The moment drew scrutiny from viewers online, raising questions about Crockett’s status as a lawmaker and whether it should be used to celebrate Brown, someone with a history of domestic violence.
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it → draw → violence
Among other instances of misconduct, Brown pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony assault after he attacked his then-girlfriend and famous singer, Rihanna.
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he → plead → girlfriend
Many images of her injuries were made public, sparking intense condemnation from the music industry.
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images → make → industry
His violence, however, wouldn’t stop there.
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violence → stop → ?
He was involved in a 2013 altercation with Frank Ocean, another singer, and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge that same year.
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He → involve → charge
In 2017, another ex-girlfriend was granted a domestic violence restraining order against him after she alleged physical abuse.
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she → grant → abuse
Most recently, Brown pleaded guilty to charges of striking producer Abe Diaw twice in the head with a glass tequila bottle in July 2023.
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Brown → plead → July
He is expected to receive a sentence in October for a separate charge for affray, a criminal charge in English law for unlawfully threatening violence against another person.
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He → expect → person
Andrew Kerr, an investigative reporter with the Washington Free Beacon, quickly noted Brown’s past in a post to X after news of Crockett’s tribute began to spread online.
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news → note → tribute
"Kamala Harris-endorsed Rep. Jasmine Crockett uses her congressional authority to honor Chris Brown, the rapper best known for beating ever-living sh-- out of Rihanna in 2009," Kerr wrote.
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Kerr → endorse → 2009
Shannon Watts, a Democratic activist and political commentator, also pointed out Brown’s storied past.
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Watts → point → past
"Chris Brown pled guilty to felony assault after brutally attacking Rihanna.
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Brown → plead → Rihanna
Another ex, Karrueche Tran, later obtained a five-year restraining order after testifying that he abused and threatened her.
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he → obtain → her
He has also faced multiple allegations of violence and sexual assault against other women," Watts wrote.
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Watts → face → women
Crockett’s member statement, a form of recognition that lawmakers can have entered into the congressional record without any vote, recognizes "the artistry of Chris Brown and Usher Raymond."
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lawmakers → enter → Brown
On stage on Saturday, Crockett framed her member statement as a way to recognize two key artists who had helped shape contemporary R&B and pop music, especially for the Black community.
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who → frame → community
"I know it’s almost Sunday, so I wanna be clear.
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I → know → ?
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
uncertain
joy → endure → morning
And right now, we are experiencing Black joy to the highest level, and I wanted to make sure we document that in the Congressional Record," Crockett said.
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Crockett → experience → Record
But Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross believes that the moment was a political miscalculation, coming across as ignorant of the challenges in the Black community.
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moment → believe → community
"Chris Brown has a problem, and several folks beyond Rihanna have met his violent rage.
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folks → have → rage
It’s well-documented.
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It → ’ → ?
This was a ridiculous move by Crockett," she wrote on X.
"Also, when Black women suffer [domestic violence] at the highest rates and often fatally, this was tone deaf as hell," she added.
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she → write → hell
Eric Michael Garcia, the D.C. bureau chief of the Independent, echoed Cross’ thinking.
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Garcia → echo → thinking
"Absolutely disgusting to see Jasmine Crockett platform and honor an abuser of women.
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Crockett → see → women
Just completely vile," Garcia wrote in a post of his own.
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Garcia → write → own
Dan Winslow, a New York Times bestselling author, hinted that the moment had changed his view of her.
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moment → bestselle → her
"CHRIS BROWN plead guilty to beating Rihanna.
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BROWN → plead → Rihanna
Crockett thought he deserved to be honored.
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he → think → ?
I am glad she lost.
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she → lose → ?
I will never support her again," Winslow wrote.
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Winslow → support → her
In response to the public backlash, Brown posted a response to his Instagram account, pleading to be left alone and expressing displeasure at Crockett having put him in the spotlight.
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Crockett → post → spotlight
YALL CAME TO ME WITH THIS!
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YALL → come → THIS
I was minding my own d-mn business.
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I → mind → business
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
