Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) took aim at House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) on Thursday, accusing him of “waste, fraud, and abuse” for scheduling a hearing that she claimed was meant to distract from former President Donald Trump’s poor debate performance against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“You know what, this hearing is actually the best example of what waste, fraud, and abuse looks like,” Crockett remarked during the hearing. “The only reason we’re having this hearing is because somebody got their feelings hurt in a debate, and I don’t understand why we’re wasting taxpayer dollars.”
Crockett then directed a sharp comment at Trump, saying, “Next time, tell your big boy to show up and be ready to handle the woman in the room who hopefully will become the next president of the United States.”
During the hearing, Crockett questioned witness Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward, about Trump’s connection to Project 2025, a controversial conservative plan to restructure the federal government. “Is Trump’s name ever mentioned in Project 2025, yes or no?” Crockett asked.
Perryman responded, “Within the document itself, there are a number of references to the former administration.” Crockett pressed further, “Well if I told you that his name is mentioned approximately 312 times, would you have any reason to dispute that?”
“I don’t have any reason to,” Perryman agreed, confirming the significant link between Trump and the project. Although Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025 after polling showed its unpopularity, Crockett’s pointed questioning highlighted the former president’s lingering influence on controversial political agendas. Her remarks criticizing Comer for wasting taxpayer money reflect a growing frustration among Democrats over what they see as politically motivated hearings.