Stephen A. Smith is speaking out after facing backlash for comments he made about Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), saying he is being unfairly targeted. 

During his SiriusXM show “Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith,” he responded to critics who accused him of disrespecting Crockett. He complained the outrage over his remarks had gone too far.

“The one thing that will never happen, I will never succumb to, I will never surrender to, is somebody intimidating and trying to rally folks against me to quell what I have to say. Bump that. I ain’t built that way,” he said.

He claims his criticism sparked calls online to stop supporting his show, something Smith called “immature.”

“To call for a rally for me to be canceled? That’s shameful,” he said, adding that he has no plans to back away from his platform.

Smith then replayed the original clip that set off the controversy. In it, he questioned if Crockett’s language, often aimed at Republicans, is helping her district. “When you are representing 750,000 people, that’s not going to get you anywhere.”

He also encouraged Crockett to think long-term. “Isn’t it about winning? Isn’t it about getting it done?” he said, suggesting her talent could lead to a judgeship, a Senate run, or a leadership role in Congress.

What Smith did not mention is that while critics debate her tone, Rep. Jasmine Crockett has the receipts. Before Congress, she was a civil rights attorney who opened her own law firm and took on police brutality cases, protester defense, and voting rights fights across Texas. She represented people the system tried to ignore and built her career defending marginalized communities.

She co-sponsored the CROWN Act, which bans discrimination based on hair texture and style, and has continued that work at the federal level. In Congress, she has introduced and supported bills focused on fair housing, maternal health, gun violence prevention, and economic equity.

Crockett has also been one of the most vocal defenders of reproductive freedom, calling out attacks on bodily autonomy and pushing to restore Roe protections nationwide. She uses her legal expertise to dismantle misinformation during committee hearings and has gone viral multiple times for fact-checking Republicans in real time. 

When it comes to influence, she is not just making headlines, she’s making fundraising history. No member of the U.S. House from Texas is raising money like Rep. Jasmine Crockett. According to the Houston Chronicle, she is out-fundraising every Texas House member in either party, proving that voters and donors believe in her voice.