A House Judiciary Committee hearing examining the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and its influence on federal policy turned contentious Tuesday when Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, sharply criticized Republicans on the panel and questioned the credibility of one of the hearing’s witnesses, Dr. Alveda King, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.
The hearing focused on allegations surrounding the SPLC and its designation of organizations it considers extremist or hate groups. Republicans on the committee used the session to examine the organization's role in public policy debates and its interactions with government agencies.
During her allotted speaking time, Crockett argued that Republicans were not positioned to lecture minority communities about issues involving race and discrimination.
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She pointed to the makeup of the committee and accused Republicans of failing to connect with voters of color.
“The vast majority of them are White men,” Crockett said while addressing the Republican side of the committee.
“White men are lecturing people of color because the vast majority, actually, any semblance of diversity comes from this side of the aisle,” she continued.
“You want to tell people of color who is fighting for who? People of color do not feel comfortable or welcomed within your party.”
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Crockett then turned her attention to Dr. Alveda King, a niece of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who appeared as a witness during the hearing.
“That’s why you have to parade someone who has the name Dr. King attached to them, so that people can be confused,” Crockett said.
“I have been reading the comments online, and people are like, ‘Who is this Dr. King?’ because you want them to believe that somehow she espouses who Dr. King was.”
Crockett also referenced Martin Luther King III and Dr. Bernice King, arguing that they had a closer connection to the late civil rights leader’s teachings.
During her remarks, Crockett quoted passages from Martin Luther King Jr.’s writings and speeches while discussing racism and discrimination.
She also cited a definition of a hate group and argued that some organizations discussed during the hearing fit that description.
The Texas congresswoman additionally referenced past comments made by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk while discussing the SPLC’s treatment of conservative organizations.
The hearing became more emotional after Crockett concluded her remarks and left the room before Alveda King was given an opportunity to respond.
When recognized, King directly addressed Crockett’s comments and defended both her family background and her role as a representative of the King family legacy.
“Congresswoman, I am a bit emotional. I’m going to watch what I say, but it seems as though you have suggested that I am a bastard to the King family legacy,” King said.
“I am legitimately the daughter of Reverend Alfred Daniel Williams King and Dr. Naomi Ruth Barber King. We are a family who loves God, and I love you,” she added.
The exchange quickly became one of the most talked-about moments from the hearing, drawing significant attention online from both supporters and critics of the congresswoman.
Crockett, who recently lost her Democratic primary campaign for the U.S. Senate in Texas, is preparing to leave Congress at the end of her current term.
The broader hearing focused on the SPLC, its classifications of organizations, and ongoing disputes over whether certain conservative groups have been unfairly targeted.
Republicans and Democrats on the committee remained sharply divided throughout the proceedings, with both sides arguing over how hate groups should be defined and whether political ideology has influenced federal enforcement decisions.
The confrontation between Crockett and King underscored those divisions and ensured that the hearing’s most memorable moment came not from testimony about the SPLC itself, but from a direct clash between a member of Congress and a witness appearing before the committee.
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