During a recent event in Los Angeles, Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett made headlines after making a controversial remark about Governor Greg Abbott. Referring to Abbott, who uses a wheelchair due to a past accident, Crockett, a Dallas Democrat, called him “Gov. Hot Wheels” while speaking at a Human Rights Campaign banquet.
Crockett’s comments came during her address to the audience, where she jokingly remarked, “You all know we got Gov. Hot Wheels down there. Come on, now,” about Abbott, a Republican. She further criticized, adding, “And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot-ass mess, honey.”
The incident involving Abbott dates back to 1984 when a tree fell on him, resulting in spinal cord injuries that left him paralyzed. Abbott, currently 67, has served as governor since 2014.
Republicans quickly condemned Crockett for her remarks. The comment was an offhand remark during her speech to the civil rights organization and followed her acknowledgement of the contributions of Morgan Cox, a board member from Dallas. A video of this event was shared on the Human Rights Campaign’s YouTube channel.
Texas Senator John Cornyn expressed his disapproval on social media, calling Crockett’s remarks “disgraceful” and “shameful.”
In response, Crockett clarified her intentions on Tuesday, asserting that her remarks were not intended to mock Abbott’s physical condition. She explained on her social media platform that she was referring to the governor’s controversial immigration policy, which involves sending thousands of unauthorized migrants from Texas to cities with sanctuary policies like New York and Philadelphia.
In her post, she explained, “I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable.”
Governor Abbott’s office has not released a statement in response to the episode as of yet.
Crockett has also been under scrutiny from Republicans for remarks she made earlier, suggesting that tech billionaire Elon Musk, who was involved with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, should be “taken down.”