Texas Rep. Venton Jones apologized after he and Rep. Jasmine Crockett publicly honored Chris Brown at AT&T Stadium, saying he did not intend to "stoke the traumas" of domestic violence survivors. Jones offered a specific apology to Black women while appearing on Don Lemon's show and said the appearance was part of voter outreach ahead of the November midterms. The recognition drew criticism from progressives who cited Brown's 2009 felony assault plea involving Rihanna and other past legal issues.
Texas Rep. Venton Jones Apologizes After Honoring Chris Brown, Says He Didn't Intend to 'Stoke the Traumas'
Texas Democrat Who Joined Jasmine Crockett in Honoring Chris Brown Apologizes: ‘Not My Intention to Stoke the Traumas’
Texas State Representative Venton Jones (D) issued a public apology after he and Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) appeared with singer Chris Brown at a concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday and presented him with a state resolution recognizing his achievements in music and entertainment.
Speaking on Don Lemon's program on Tuesday, Jones acknowledged the backlash and offered a direct apology to those affected by the decision.
"I want to offer an apology," Jones said. "I want to offer my apology to Black women, to women and to anyone who has experienced domestic violence and really express that it was not my intention to stoke the traumas that go into that, as well as the background of this situation."
The lawmakers appeared at the stadium while Brown — who has been touring with Usher — performed. Jones presented Brown with a resolution honoring his career accomplishments, and Rep. Crockett addressed the crowd, declaring, "We are here because of Chris Brown!" She framed the recognition as a celebration of "Black joy" and said she wanted to document it "at the congressional level."
Jones told Lemon that their appearance was part of voter outreach ahead of the November midterm elections. "We were brought in to help and talk to and mobilize voters who need to be engaged right now in this very important election," he said, noting that the brief clips circulating online showed only a small portion of their work that day.
The recognition drew swift criticism from progressives and survivors' advocates, who pointed to Brown's past legal troubles — most notably his 2009 guilty plea to felony assault involving his then-girlfriend, Rihanna — as reason the lawmakers' public recognition was inappropriate. Critics said the move risked minimizing the experiences of domestic violence survivors.
The exchange underscores the political sensitivity of public honors for high-profile figures with contentious legal histories, and highlights how brief social media clips can fuel controversy by omitting broader context such as voter outreach efforts.
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