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Crockett Calls on House Oversight to Reinstate the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in Light of the Death of Tyre Nichols at the Hands of Memphis Police

January 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) issued the below statement following the brutal murder of Tyre Nichols:

“I am outraged, yet again, because a Black man has been murdered at the hands of those that have sworn to ‘protect and serve.’ Tyre Nichols is gone and nothing we can do as politicians can bring him back nor heal the pain felt by his family, friends, and community. So, the questions are: what is it that we can do and what is it that we have the courage to do?

“To provide clarity, I, as a civil rights lawyer, ran for Congress to stop the hurting that so many in our communities are unnecessarily feeling. I ran to stop the systemic failures that consistently lead to tragedies. Today, I was officially appointed to the House Oversight Committee, but in this 118th Congress, the Republicans removed one of the most important subcommittees we have, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties. In the midst of this tragedy and nationwide time of grief, the House Oversight Committee Chairman made a reckless and cruel decision to eliminate the vital Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee when we need this subcommittee’s leadership and insight the most. This is an abject failure by one of the most powerful committees in the House of Representatives – I cannot and will not remain silent when lives are at stake. Rather than squandering their authority on investigations of the President’s family, the Chairman and House Republicans should use their authority to conduct oversight and investigate the merciless murders of innocent Americans – mainly Americans who look like me – at the hands of law enforcement. Systemic policing and extremist violence are killing people, devasting our communities, and breaking the hearts of families we took an oath to defend and protect at all costs.

“The Chairman should move swiftly to reinstate the subcommittee at a time when we need it the most. Failure to do so would be an egregious abdication of oversight responsibilities. Oversight is a grave responsibility that we have the honor and privilege to uphold. Therefore, I will be consulting the Chairman and House Republicans to bring back accountability and transparency to one of the most influential Committees in Congress. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to not only reinstate this crucial subcommittee and hold a hearing on the investigation of the murder of Nichols, but to do their jobs and to continue oversight on the issues that this Committee was established to safeguard. The American people are watching, and so am I.”

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