Jasmine Crockett's jaw-dropping defense of criminals: 'They literally are trying to survive'

Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas provided a shocking defense of crime, arguing that poverty simply makes people more susceptible to "engage in certain things."

Crockett defended criminals in an interview with the "Grounded" podcast on Wednesday, claiming that the only reason people commit crimes is "because they literally are trying to survive." Crockett also argued that there is "no good point" in prosecuting certain kinds of crime because she views them as acts of desperation.

'Not because people are criminals, but because they literally are trying to survive.'

"Just because you are impoverished does not mean that you will be a criminal," Crockett noted.

"But I do want to be clear that there is a direct link between poverty and susceptibility to having to engage in certain things," Crockett added. "And this is something that I know up close and personal as a public defender."

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Crockett also referred to John Creuzot, the Dallas County district attorney, who has made similar justifications for crime in the past. She conceded that Creuzot probably should not have said the quiet part out loud, but ultimately sided with his soft-on-crime policies.

"In fact, my elected prosecutor in Dallas County, he kind of caused some flak because — he probably shouldn't have said it out loud, but — he specifically said, 'If I'm getting people that are getting charged with a low-level misdemeanor for going and stealing food, diapers, like, basic necessities ... I'm not locking you up.'"

Crockett agreed with Creuzot's track record, saying that "there is no good point" in prosecuting crimes she thinks are committed out of necessity or desperation.

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"Granted, there is no good point in doing it because a decent defense attorney would have a defense."

"I want people to understand that there are crimes that are committed, not because people are criminals, but because they literally are trying to survive."

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