Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wears a face mask as she walks down the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on April 23, 2020.(Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Jul 21, 2020
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was verbally accosted--including being called a "fucking bitch"--by Republican colleague Rep. Ted Yoho Monday afternoon on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building over her remarks earlier this month tying a rise in New York City crime to increased levels of poverty and housing insecurity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"That kind of confrontation hasn't ever happened to me--ever," Ocasio-Cortez told The Hill's Mike Illis--who reported that the exchange was witnessed by a journalist--shortly after the encounter. "I've never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me."
\u201cI never spoke to Rep. Yoho before he decided to accost me on the steps of the nation\u2019s Capitol yesterday.\n\nBelieve it or not, I usually get along fine w/ my GOP colleagues. We know how to check our legislative sparring at the committee door.\n\nBut hey, \u201cb*tches\u201d get stuff done. \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1595339847
The progressive Democratic lawmaker was confronted by Yoho, a Florida Republican, for her comments as the two passed each other on the steps of the Capitol building in "an unusually personal exchange." According to Illis, Yoho called Ocasio-Cortez "freaking crazy," while the New York congresswoman fired back that the GOP legislator was being "rude."
After Ocasio-Cortez walked away, Yoho was overheard calling her a "fucking bitch."
\u201c.@TedYoho called @AOC a "fucking bitch." Sounds like Ted Yoho is a "fucking asshole" https://t.co/QGtX3ohL2x\u201d— Emily C. Singer (@Emily C. Singer) 1595337104
Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), who was walking with Yoho, told Illis that he didn't notice much of the exchange.
"I was actually thinking, as I was walking down the stairs, I was thinking about some issues I've got in my district that need to get done," Williams told Illis. "I don't know what their topic was. There's always a topic, isn't there?"
Progressives expressed outrage over Yoho's remarks and solidarity with Ocasio-Cortez, a regular target of right-wing attacks.
"This culture of vitriol does a disservice to America," tweeted Shahid Buttar, , a progressive Democrat challenging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat in California. "Right wing voices feel threatened by our voices--and with good reason."
\u201cHe was furious because AOC said there's a link between poverty and crime. Yoho has also said a tax on tanning beds was racist discrimination against white people, Obama was born in Kenya and a federal anti-Lynching law would "trample on states rights."\nhttps://t.co/aFDAZFvC8I\u201d— Dan Murphy (@Dan Murphy) 1595338351
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) noted the sexist undertones to the attack and wondered why Yoho hasn't confronted others with similar views to Ocasio-Cortez.
"Like AOC, I believe poverty to be a root cause of crime," tweeted Phillips. "Wonder why Rep. Yoho hasn't accosted me on the Capitol steps with the same sentiment?"
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was verbally accosted--including being called a "fucking bitch"--by Republican colleague Rep. Ted Yoho Monday afternoon on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building over her remarks earlier this month tying a rise in New York City crime to increased levels of poverty and housing insecurity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"That kind of confrontation hasn't ever happened to me--ever," Ocasio-Cortez told The Hill's Mike Illis--who reported that the exchange was witnessed by a journalist--shortly after the encounter. "I've never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me."
\u201cI never spoke to Rep. Yoho before he decided to accost me on the steps of the nation\u2019s Capitol yesterday.\n\nBelieve it or not, I usually get along fine w/ my GOP colleagues. We know how to check our legislative sparring at the committee door.\n\nBut hey, \u201cb*tches\u201d get stuff done. \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1595339847
The progressive Democratic lawmaker was confronted by Yoho, a Florida Republican, for her comments as the two passed each other on the steps of the Capitol building in "an unusually personal exchange." According to Illis, Yoho called Ocasio-Cortez "freaking crazy," while the New York congresswoman fired back that the GOP legislator was being "rude."
After Ocasio-Cortez walked away, Yoho was overheard calling her a "fucking bitch."
\u201c.@TedYoho called @AOC a "fucking bitch." Sounds like Ted Yoho is a "fucking asshole" https://t.co/QGtX3ohL2x\u201d— Emily C. Singer (@Emily C. Singer) 1595337104
Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), who was walking with Yoho, told Illis that he didn't notice much of the exchange.
"I was actually thinking, as I was walking down the stairs, I was thinking about some issues I've got in my district that need to get done," Williams told Illis. "I don't know what their topic was. There's always a topic, isn't there?"
Progressives expressed outrage over Yoho's remarks and solidarity with Ocasio-Cortez, a regular target of right-wing attacks.
"This culture of vitriol does a disservice to America," tweeted Shahid Buttar, , a progressive Democrat challenging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat in California. "Right wing voices feel threatened by our voices--and with good reason."
\u201cHe was furious because AOC said there's a link between poverty and crime. Yoho has also said a tax on tanning beds was racist discrimination against white people, Obama was born in Kenya and a federal anti-Lynching law would "trample on states rights."\nhttps://t.co/aFDAZFvC8I\u201d— Dan Murphy (@Dan Murphy) 1595338351
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) noted the sexist undertones to the attack and wondered why Yoho hasn't confronted others with similar views to Ocasio-Cortez.
"Like AOC, I believe poverty to be a root cause of crime," tweeted Phillips. "Wonder why Rep. Yoho hasn't accosted me on the Capitol steps with the same sentiment?"
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was verbally accosted--including being called a "fucking bitch"--by Republican colleague Rep. Ted Yoho Monday afternoon on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building over her remarks earlier this month tying a rise in New York City crime to increased levels of poverty and housing insecurity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"That kind of confrontation hasn't ever happened to me--ever," Ocasio-Cortez told The Hill's Mike Illis--who reported that the exchange was witnessed by a journalist--shortly after the encounter. "I've never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me."
\u201cI never spoke to Rep. Yoho before he decided to accost me on the steps of the nation\u2019s Capitol yesterday.\n\nBelieve it or not, I usually get along fine w/ my GOP colleagues. We know how to check our legislative sparring at the committee door.\n\nBut hey, \u201cb*tches\u201d get stuff done. \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1595339847
The progressive Democratic lawmaker was confronted by Yoho, a Florida Republican, for her comments as the two passed each other on the steps of the Capitol building in "an unusually personal exchange." According to Illis, Yoho called Ocasio-Cortez "freaking crazy," while the New York congresswoman fired back that the GOP legislator was being "rude."
After Ocasio-Cortez walked away, Yoho was overheard calling her a "fucking bitch."
\u201c.@TedYoho called @AOC a "fucking bitch." Sounds like Ted Yoho is a "fucking asshole" https://t.co/QGtX3ohL2x\u201d— Emily C. Singer (@Emily C. Singer) 1595337104
Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), who was walking with Yoho, told Illis that he didn't notice much of the exchange.
"I was actually thinking, as I was walking down the stairs, I was thinking about some issues I've got in my district that need to get done," Williams told Illis. "I don't know what their topic was. There's always a topic, isn't there?"
Progressives expressed outrage over Yoho's remarks and solidarity with Ocasio-Cortez, a regular target of right-wing attacks.
"This culture of vitriol does a disservice to America," tweeted Shahid Buttar, , a progressive Democrat challenging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat in California. "Right wing voices feel threatened by our voices--and with good reason."
\u201cHe was furious because AOC said there's a link between poverty and crime. Yoho has also said a tax on tanning beds was racist discrimination against white people, Obama was born in Kenya and a federal anti-Lynching law would "trample on states rights."\nhttps://t.co/aFDAZFvC8I\u201d— Dan Murphy (@Dan Murphy) 1595338351
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) noted the sexist undertones to the attack and wondered why Yoho hasn't confronted others with similar views to Ocasio-Cortez.
"Like AOC, I believe poverty to be a root cause of crime," tweeted Phillips. "Wonder why Rep. Yoho hasn't accosted me on the Capitol steps with the same sentiment?"
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.