Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:47 pm
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) rebuked House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) over his weak criticism of his “KKK Caucus” amid news that Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia) and Paul Gosar (Arizona) had not only attended but been featured speakers at the third annual America First Political Action Conference, a group that has been widely identified as a White nationalist organization.
“Last week, I was just in Israel. … And then when I come back, I see two colleagues, who went and participated with a group that has a leader that many times gives you anti-Semitic views, led a chant for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. To me, it was appalling and wrong,” McCarthy told reporters. There’s no place in our party for any of this.”
Ocasio-Cortez was less than thrilled with McCarthy’s response.
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“It’s how he covers for them,†Ocasio-Cortez, perhaps Congress’s most high-profile progressive, tweeted. “He’s now helped them for so long they’ve escalated their open antisemitism & collaboration w/ white nationalist groups. He’s just as culpable.”
McCarthy has been protecting his little KKK Caucus for years with these toothless statements and meetings.
It’s how he covers for them.
He’s now helped them for so long they’ve escalated their open antisemitism & collaboration w/ white nationalist groups. He’s just as culpable. https://t.co/on4twfags5
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 28, 2022
The congresswoman later charged that McCarthy “stood on the House floor and passionately defended” Greene and Gosar, who have often faced heavy criticism for their association with White nationalist groups and for trafficking conspiracy theories.
McCarthy stood on the House floor and passionately defended Rep. Gosar, who also headlined fundraisers for white nationalist orgs & escalated into inciting violence in the House. He made it fair game.
It’s not an exaggeration in the slightest to say he works to protect them.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 28, 2022
Her comments referred to McCarthy’s prior failed bid to protect Gosar, who was ultimately censured by his colleagues for posting an animated video to Twitter depicting him killing Ocasio-Cortez and threatening President Joe Biden.
McCarthy released a statement after Gosar’s censure accusing Democrats of launching a political hit job.
McCarthy has also defended Greene despite her many controversies, including her claim that COVID-19 vaccine mandates amount to “segregation,” asserting that they are akin to being Jewish during the Holocaust.
Greene was stripped of her committee assignments last year for spreading conspiracies and for promoting violence against Democrats.
Although McCarthy released a statement at the time condemning Greene’s remarks, saying that “Past comments from and endorsed by Marjorie Taylor Greene on school shootings, political violence, and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories do not represent the values or beliefs of the House Republican Conference,” he still asserted that criticisms of Greene were politically motivated, saying that the resolution to strip her of her committee assignments “continues to distract Congress, especially given the limited time that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat leadership want the House to debate and work, on what it needs to focus on: getting Americans back to work, getting kids back to school, and providing vaccines to all Americans who need it.â€
Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.
