By The American Tribune | Created at 2026-10-07 10:16:37 | Updated at 2026-10-07 11:25:50
1 hour ago
Rep. Jasmine Crockett is facing legal and ethics questions after her campaign-funded merchandise website advertised lobbying services while she was still serving in Congress. The Texas Democrat’s online store offered visitors a way to inquire about political consulting alongside its merchandise. The offering disappeared after reporters contacted her office. Her spokesperson defended the website’s purpose and disputed Crockett’s involvement in adding the solicitation.
The controversy centers on The Clapback Collection, a merchandise line associated with Crockett’s political brand. Zeteo published its report on October 2nd, describing a consulting solicitation that appeared by May, roughly two months after Crockett lost her Senate bid in March. She remained a sitting House member during that period. The advertised services therefore raised questions about outside business activity during her congressional service.
Visitors who followed the booking button reached a page offering campaign management and strategy, communications and public relations, government relations and lobbying, digital and social media, and political risk management. The services page directed inquiries to a Gmail address. Its menu presented several categories of political work to prospective customers. Lobbying appeared as a specific service available through the merchandise website.
The archived website provides a record of how the solicitation appeared. A May 15th capture shows the “Political Consultant- Book Now” button near the bottom of the homepage, with a “Paid for by Jasmine For Us” notice immediately below it. The button also appears in a September 25th capture. Above those items, the site promoted merchandise collections and a T-shirt featuring Crockett’s “bleach blonde bad built butch body” phrase.
“This website is and has always been focused on selling campaign merchandise,” Crockett’s spokesperson told Zeteo. The spokesperson said Crockett had promoted the website for merchandise, had not built it herself, and had never instructed anyone to add the disputed button. As Trending Politics reported, the consulting offering was removed after Zeteo sought comment.
House rules place restrictions on members’ outside employment while they hold office. The House Committee on Ethics explains that the Code of Official Conduct generally prohibits using an official position for personal gain. Its guidance also identifies federal criminal provisions that generally prohibit members from privately representing others before the federal government. Those restrictions govern outside professional activity separately from a member’s ordinary work representing constituents.
Watch a video report on the website controversy here:
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The committee’s outside-employment guidance also specifically addresses paid political consulting and public relations. It describes a hypothetical political consulting firm seeking to hire a member to advise candidates for state office. In that example, the member may not accept the contract because the services are among those for which members cannot receive compensation. The committee also notes the concern that such an arrangement would capitalize on the person’s congressional status.
Campaign spending is subject to separate restrictions. The Federal Election Commission explains that campaign funds cannot cover personal obligations or expenses that would exist independently of a candidacy or federal officeholder’s duties. Expenses arising from campaign or officeholder activity fall outside that personal-use prohibition. Applying that rule to a particular expenditure requires establishing what the money paid for and how the expense relates to campaign or official responsibilities.
The report also drew criticism from progressive commentator Ryan Grim, who responded on X on October 2nd. His post linked to Zeteo’s reporting on the website’s services. Grim criticized the timing of the solicitation during Crockett’s congressional service, writing, “Not waiting until you leave congress to start lobbying is impressive.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.
