December 9, 2025 — Washington, D.C.

A reposted podcast clip from 2024 is going viral on X today, with many users claiming Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) pledged to “fight for tax exemptions for Black people because we are reparations.”

The timing of the outcry is no coincidence: Crockett announced her late-election bid for the U.S. Senate in Texas just 24 hours earlier. Opponents immediately seized on the old video to paint her as an extremist, especially in a Republican-leaning state where reparations proposals have consistently been underwhelming.

These comments are excerpted from the March 29, 2024, episode of The Black Lawyers Podcast, in which Crockett was asked about various forms of reparations, including one proposed by a prominent guest in a previous episode: a temporary tax exemption for African Americans who are descendants of slaves.

Crockett expressed support for the idea.

Her full quote (basically):

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily a bad idea. But I would support it.”

She acknowledged that a temporary tax exemption could help working families who actually pay federal taxes, but she also immediately pointed out its shortcomings:

“If you give a tax exemption to people who are struggling and didn’t pay taxes in the first place — that doesn’t really benefit them.”

Crockett then pivoted to a broader argument for reparations, highlighting the wealth gap, historical discrimination, and the need for federal research (like the long-delayed H.R. 40 commission).

She wants to “fight for zero taxes.”

She presents that as her policy.

She claims all African Americans should be automatically eligible.

She advocates that as her Senate platform.

Crockett’s Senate announcement—a surprise, last-minute entry in one of the most closely watched 2026 races in the country—breathed new life into old opposition research.

Conservative accounts like @DefiantLs, @EndWokeness, and @LeadingReport reposted edited excerpts claiming Crockett wants to eliminate taxes for all African Americans. Some of the biggest posts garnered millions of views in just a few hours.

This comes amid a broader Republican strategy to label Crockett a far-left “Squad-style” radical unfit for state office in Texas.

Debate on Reparations: Crockett’s Consistent Position

Crockett has long supported reparations research, including:

Federal studies on the generational impact of slavery

Targeted investments in communities affected by housing, policing, and lending discrimination

Only direct financial reparations to Black Americans can prove the origins of enslaved people in the United States

She has never sponsored or introduced legislation proposing race-based tax exemptions, whether temporary or permanent, but her actions and words demonstrate her support

In the 2024 clip, it’s clear she wants direct assistance, not tax exemptions, for the poorest descendants of slaves.

Election Background: Why It Matters

Crockett’s election to the Senate shook up Democrats in Texas — forcing Rep. Colin Allred to withdraw entirely. She is currently facing off against state Rep. James Talarico in a high-stakes primary.

Republicans, meanwhile, see Crockett as the Democratic candidate most likely to be defeated, with internal NRSC polls reportedly showing her as their favorite opponent.

This clip—and others—are expected to resurface throughout 2026.