Did Rep. Dan Crenshaw Shout at a 10-Year-Old Girl at an Event?

The young woman who questioned Crenshaw was 18, not 10.

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While at a Tea Party event last week, Rep. Dan Crenshaw clashed with a young woman who questioned his faith. Video of the interaction went viral, with many social media users, political pundits, and news outlets claiming that the woman was a 10-year-old girl.

https://twitter.com/KaivanShroff/status/1483462371989499907

The basis for this claim is a comment made in the video, where an audience member shouts that the questioner is 10 years old. Crenshaw’s primary opponent Jameson Ellis tweeted a video of the same interaction from a different angle, identifying the questioner as an 18-year-old woman. Ellis also stated that he spoke with the woman afterward and she confirmed her age to him, and tweeted a picture with her. In a statement released after claims that she was a plant for the Ellis campaign went viral, Ellis identified her as a supporter of his campaign and said again that she was 18 years old.

A conservative Christian Texas publication interviewed the woman, saying that she preferred to remain anonymous but confirming that she was 18 years old.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    He comes off better than she does in that video.

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    Cthocas

    The details Alex confirms here were known pretty much immediately after the event last week, even as the MAGA grifter crowd ostentatiously soiled its collective pants over it on Twitter. To be blunt, you have to be something of an idiot to believe what the woman said constituted any sort of intelligent questioning, and Crenshaw was right to snap at what was either a disingenuous gotcha or a dangerously stupid slander. Perhaps his response wasn't the most appropriate; telling her to go learn how to diagram sentences would have been better, I suppose.

    (Sorry, but the guns-and-Jesus corner of the Trumpy fever swamp is one I find particularly infuriating. Sanctimonious hayseeds like Jameson Ellis couldn't tell you the difference between Arius and Athanasius, but they make questioning the faith of others part of their PR campaign. It's just filth all the way down.)

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    Kelvin Tsang

    If anything, I'm more surprised by the crowd shouting at Dan Crenshaw. You can hear people calling him a Moron and jeering him pretty harshly. Are these townhall meetings so vitriolic?? Honestly, if Dan was black or Asian, and he made his comments to the girl, and the crowd reacted the way it did, I would almost assume that crowd was over-reacting because they're racist. But man, talk about white-on-white crime here!!! haha (BTW, I'm not defending Dan's politics. Just saying the blowback he received from the crowd seemed way over the top.)

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    Alli Isaacson

    This is all quite silly, but for a guy who said “I don’t think he knows what he really believes. I don’t think this man has very secure foundations or principles that will drive his thinking” of Joe Biden the immediate “don’t question my faith” is a pretty ridiculous response. “You’ve taken my words out of context, my faith is between me and Jesus and certainly is my guiding principle” would have been much more appropriate. Quite honestly that was pretty defensive answer to what was really not a hard question to side step.

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  5. Lorddenry

    I find myself wanting more from this story. I generally like Dan Crenshaw, but I don't know whether to chastise him, or exonerate him here, precisely because there is no context around this interaction.

    What was the temperature of the room prior to this exchange? This is a Tea Party event, with Jameson Ellis, his political opponent present. The immediate reaction of some people in the room to Crenshaw's response to the girl makes it clear that they were not all in his camp. Was there contention already in the room prior to this interaction, or was this a stand alone Q and A.? Did this question come out of the blue, or was it the final straw in an already existing tension?

    And while politicians deal daily with having their words twisted and re-invented in news and social mediums, it is quite a different scenario to have your words manipulated and be called a liar in a public setting in front of your peers. We are all, after all, human.

    But I find the Fact Check here totally inadequate, for it only resolves the question of the girls age. I need The Dispatch to do what The Dispatch does, which is why it has become my most trusted voice in these matters. I need them to write the full story here, to provide missing context.

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    Israel Bigelow

    I like Crenshaw but that was a terrible answer even if the girl was 18 and not 10. I don't think it was a yell (like the clickbait twitter clip says) but it was still way too aggressive. He should have just clarified what he meant and reaffirmed his faith for any doubters. Being an indignant with voters for questioning you never comes across good whether it's about religion or not.

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    Kelvin Tsang

    Definitely wouldn't call that shouting....he probably should've just called it out as a leading question and then ignored her, but we've all had situations that we probably would've handled differently......still, he definitely didn't yell/shout...

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    David Chen

    I actually listened to most of Crenshaw's audiobook and vaguely remember that line. I don't really get what the girl is asking. I don't really get Crenshaw's response. I definitely don't get the framing from the media that is is 'shouting'. As far as I can tell, Crenshaw likes Jesus?

    Is everyone insane or am I just not getting it?

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    1. Avatar photo
      Scarlette Tarte

      I think it was a bad response to a poorly asked question. And that is it. Mountain made of molehill on both sides.

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      Dave T

      You're on point. This whole thing is ridiculous, and a total waste of our time. The only redeeming part is that your comment helped me feel better about myself.

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    3. Ingenero.lux

      It was quiet, and probably only makes sense to someone from a very specific fundamentalist Christian sect or mindset. I don’t quite get where she or anyone else got the idea that “archetype” means “I don’t think this person was real”, but I’ve sadly heard far weirder claims. Far, far weirder. And Crenshaw effectively said “I love Jesus, I’m not here to argue my faith. Ask me about politics.” While a dingbat booed him for it.

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        David Chen

        That's what she meant?! Wow. Props to Crenshaw for not biting her head off. I woulda asked in the following order:

        "What the F are you talking about?"
        "Are you F-ing serious?"
        "Are you a F-ing moron?"

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        1. Ingenero.lux

          What I could get after the initial “I’m a Christian” spiel, something something “…being a Christian, you talk about God, but when you claim Jesus is a heroic archetype, you not only lied about Jesus not being real, you lied about being a Christian.” She then tries to give context, the video skips (something about all of us needing a heroic archetype), then it shows when he gets annoyed.

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          Andrew

          She’s the archetype of an 18 year old

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  9. Ingenero.lux

    THAT’S supposed to be “shouting”? And responding that it’s not someone’s place to question his faith is “not responding in love”? Criminy, this is insane. Someone asks a question that’s intended to be provocative (really, it’s downright rude - she tells him he’s lying about his faith and not a Christian), he responds civilly but with annoyance, and this causes a fervor? What is wrong with people? Who in their right minds thinks their job is to examine a politician’s statements like Media Matters (without pay, mind) and take tiny snippets out to attack them with? With the silliness made infinitely worse by telling someone they’re lying about their religious beliefs.

    I feel embarrassed for the young woman - this is a good use of one of Jonah’s favorite German words: fremdshämen. I have it for her. We all get caught up in inane silliness at that age, and I certainly think telling a politician they’re lying about the religion they profess to believe (not just mistaken, lying) and then proceed to grill them about the specifics of their faith qualifies. I just hope this doesn’t generate social media backlash for her.

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      Andrew

      Would have been worth screaming at her even if she was 10

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      Scarlette Tarte

      BS. Faith does not need to be "out of bounds" for questioning. Plenty of people do it to those that profess anything outside of their "approved of" brands of religion, especially Islam.

      Sorry, but if you are gonna wrap yourself in the cloak of 'muh faith', and use it to campaign with, then yep, everything you said about it becomes fair game to question, including if you actually really ARE what you claim to be.

      Maybe, just maybe, these dumb butts will stop talking about their faith or their religion as a way to court some constituency. How about saying to the nutters who just have to hear if you are in their pre-approved group ..."My faith is private. Between my god and me. It has nothing to do with you. Does my religion guide me in making decision? Yes, at times. And that is all I am gonna say about that".

      I am a liberal, but I used to kinda like and respect Dan Crenshaw. Several incidents in the past year or so have made me reevaluate my position on this man. He is becoming, like every GOPer who wants to stay in office, more a MAGA mouthpiece and less his man everyday. Being rude (i agree he did not shout) is uncalled for, unless someone is rude to you. She was not. Even if you think she asked a "gotcha" or provocative question, she was not rude about it. He did not have to be so rude back AND the reason he got into such a pearl clutching snit was because she busted him on something he said and he had NO OTHER ANSWER. So the default, for these "wear the cloak of religion" types is to say, indignantly, "HOW DARE YOU, YOU NOTHING, QUESTION ME?!?!?

      And fwiw, a LOT of politicians do this, and not on just religious questions, and needs to stop. BE NICE to the people who show up to your events. Answer their questions honestly. Even if they work for another campaign. Even if they are trying to corner you. EVEN IF YOU ARE BUSTED. Figure out a way to answer people in every situation without being rude, smarmy, sarcastic, hateful or insulting. That is a politician's job.

      And none of the above applies if someone is rude, or insulting to you or hateful or threatening to you. If anyone comes at you and says they are going to bring loaded guns to your next event, bust em in the chops, and then call the cops and FBI on them. NO ONE should accept people talking to others in the ways some of these entitled azz hats do to elected officials, or public servants, do today.

      I am also all for the airlines turning completely around and bringing EVERYONE back to the take off spot, when just ONE person on the whole flight is a jerk. Maybe by making the rest of the public be put out by these morons, that public will decide they have had enough, and people will relearn how to act in public while utilizing a service that not only you but everyone else has paid for. And yes, that paragraph was off topic, but I have had it up to here with people thinking they can treat other human beings like they don't matter.

      Our public officials can lead the way out of this. But they have to act better. And they have to hold each other accountable, and we voters have to hold them accountable as well. Respond with love to everyone, not just your voters. Had Crenshaw responded with love, that would have reflected well upon him and his character.

      We used to know this. We used to understand that manners are the grease that allows social interactions to operate smoothly. It's time we get back to that.

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      1. Ingenero.lux

        Uh - what if I took one comment of yours out of context and then accused you of being a liar? Not asked for clarification, flat out called you a liar. In public. And I don’t see this as him “having no other answer” and him getting busted - the question is outright bizarre. Like if I took a single sentence or phrase of yours and accused you of being a closet Nazi because Hitler said that. What the hell do you say to someone who just asks something both incredibly bizarre and insulting? What if I publicly told you “Scarlette, you once said ‘We used to understand that manners are the grease that allows social interactions to operate smoothly. It's time we get back to that.’ so you’re a liar about being a progressive, you’re a reactionary fascist.” Note there’s no explanation of why I think that, just an accusation out of left field. I think you’d be more than a little angry and more than a little confused, and I think you’d be right to be. I don’t care what the topic is on, that type of attack is pretty rude. You don’t like politicians publicly touting their faith - I really don’t either. But I don’t think it’s OK to call someone a liar and attack part of their identity unless you have far more than a short sentence that only tangentially relates.

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          Scarlette Tarte

          Well my reaction to being called a fascist would be to laugh.

          And then ask for clarification. "What are you referring to? How did we get from manners to fascism?" And then laugh again.

          Disarm and defuse the situation.

          And that is just me as a regular schmoe. A politician at his level should have had years to perfect handling awkward or rude or gotcha questions.

          Sorry, he handled it badly. You NEVER should get huffy and demand "don't question my faith". Or say that about anything. Anything and everything can be questioned. If he doesn't like it, get out of politics.

          There is a reason people say "politics ain't beanbag". Its brutal. Always has been, even in the era of Jefferson and Madison, or the more genteel Victorian era against Lincoln especially.

          Look, I feel for politicians. I wish our system was different and not a blood sport. But it is.

          Yes, I think the girl should have rephrased how she was asking about her concerns that his faith may not be what he says it is. But if his actions don't fit what his public religious claims are, then she has every right to ask it of him.

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          1. Ingenero.lux

            Except his actions weren’t inconsistent - she simply took comments wildly out of context. This is from the same branch of thinking as the people who think the COVID vaccine is the Mark of the Beast and Rock and Roll has back-masked messages praising Satan. People are welcome to believe what they want, that doesn’t mean a politician attacked on that basis needs to pretend it’s anything but a disgusting attack.

            I’ll give you a similar example that I believe deserved the exact same response - the allegations President Obama was a Muslim. I disagree with the propositions of Islam, but there shouldn’t be anything scandalous about a politician being a Muslim. That said, the allegations were somewhere between racist (he’s not like *us* so he’s a Muslim) and religious bigotry (he’s a Muslim so you can’t trust him!). Were President Obama’s actions inconsistent with some varieties of Christianity? Sure, but that’s essentially inevitable if you’re breathing. If attacking someone’s faith in bad faith is acceptable, then these allegations would have to be treated with the same seriousness you want from Representative Crenshaw - after all “Anything and everything can be questioned”. I think those allegations should be handled the exact same way as these- as rude and ridiculous.

            And yes, politics ain’t beanbag. But politicians also don’t have to play with Marquis of Queensbury rules against people using underhanded street fighting tactics agains them. Take this situation (https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/12/05/biden-calls-iowa-voter-damn-liar-and-fat-after-ukraine-accusation.html). I think Biden’s response was over-the-top, but I didn’t blame him for responding with fury (responding to accusations of corruption with anything else would give opponents an opening), I thought challenging the guy to feats of strength and IQ tests (as well as the fat comment, “facts” seems like a retcon listening to the audio) was a bit much. I even the types of questions in this instance were far more legitimate (leave aside the basis or lack thereof - corruption and fitness for office are legitimate concerns of a voter), but the questions by their nature needed a forceful response. “Oh, I’m just fine” and “There wasn’t any corruption” or a lengthy explanation of why there are no problems wouldn’t fit the actual questions asked - it would feel strange, like Dukakis’ response to the death penalty question (https://www.politico.com/story/2007/04/questions-that-kill-candidates-careers-003617) that helped deep-six his campaign. Candidates are people and should be allowed to act like them - not flying off the handle, not going ballistic like Ol’ Orange Hair, but controlled irritation or anger have their place. Key word “controlled”, but also that there’s a time and place for more response than an emotionless answer.

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      David Chen

      Is that what she said? I couldn't really make out the words in the second video. Ok, I can understand his annoyance with such a leading question.

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      1. Ingenero.lux

        It was quiet, but first she spent a bit setting up for a quote of his from a podcast that Jesus is “a hero archetype”. She then said that because he said that he was lying about believing Christ was a real person and lying about being a Christian. Lying being the word she used. Now, not only is archetype defined as “the original pattern or model”, but I’ve heard many discussions of type, antitype, and archetype in (religiously) conservative circles over the years. This just strikes me as a loony comment up there with denouncing him for listening to Rock and Roll or declaring David is a devil worshipper for playing D&D. It’s more than a little daft.

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          Juan J

          From humble and modest beginnings…He is the chosen One.

          Yea, Jesus is an archetype. The King James version of the bible is also considered great prose and literature.

          All of this can be true, yet it doesn’t take away from the faith and religion.

          They were obviously trying to trap Rep. Crenshaw. So his response was -

          “Don’t question my faith.”

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      Aylene Wright

      I don't feel too bad for the 18 year old as she seems to be at least a volunteer political operative. And interestingly, although the guy behind the op is apparently a challenger from the right, Crenshaw has been bashed from both his right AND his left over this clip. (Maybe that's a requirement to be a Friend of Jonah.)

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        Pat @ Tavi Hall

        I'm cynical enough to think they picked her for both her youth and small size exactly so they could do this clip thing.

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      2. Ingenero.lux

        I just remember being 18 - my political opinions were probably better informed than average at that age, but…many were downright silly or uninformed. Even if she’s a political operative, it’s the type of thing I’d look back at and cringe if it were me.

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