Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hits back at ‘implicated’ Republicans accusing her of exaggerating Capitol riots
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (Alex Wroblewski/Getty)
Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez has taken to Twitter to defend herself against accusations she lied about the Capitol riots.
In an Instagram Live on Tuesday (2 February), Ocasio-Cortez described in great detail what happened to her during the 6 January attack on the Capitol.
“I heard huge violent bangs on my door and then every door going into my office,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Like someone was trying to break the door down. And there were no voices. There were no yells. No one saying who they were, nobody identifying themselves.”
Ocasio-Cortez admitted that as she hid in a bathroom, she thought for a moment she might be killed as an unknown man approached her door. He turned out to be a police officer.
After sharing her account, Republicans accused the congresswoman of exaggerating, pointing out that she was in her office in the Cannon House building rather than the main Capitol building during the riot.
GOP congresswoman Nancy Mace said that her own office is two doors down from Ocasio-Cortez’s and that “insurrectionists never stormed our hallway”. Ocasio-Cortez never claimed that she was anywhere but her office, or that rioters stormed her hallway.
The Democrat hit back: “This is a deeply cynical and disgusting attack, Nancy Mace.
“As the Capitol complex was stormed and people were being killed, none of us knew at the moment what areas were compromised. You previously told reporters yourself that you barricaded in your office, afraid you’d be hurt.”
This is a deeply cynical & disgusting attack, @NancyMace.
As the Capitol complex was stormed and people were being killed, none of us knew in the moment what areas were compromised.
You previously told reporters yourself that you barricaded in your office, afraid you’d be hurt. https://t.co/4FyWsaXSDx pic.twitter.com/7gW6yKO9gJ
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 4, 2021
She continued: “This is the latest manipulative take on the right. They are manipulating the fact that most people don’t know the layout the capitol complex. We were all on the Capitol complex – the attack wasn’t just on the dome. The bombs Trump supporters planted surrounded our offices too.”
This is the latest manipulative take on the right.
They are manipulating the fact that most people don’t know the layout the Capitol complex.We were all on the Capitol complex – the attack wasn’t just on the dome.
The bombs Trump supporters planted surrounded our offices too. pic.twitter.com/jI18e0XRrd
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 3, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez said she found it curious that Republicans have chosen this time to attack her.
“It is also very damning and revealing that the GOP is now digging both heels in a discrediting campaign.
“It’s because they know they are implicated, so they’re pivoting to (again) the classic abuse playbook of ‘it’s not as bad as they say’.
“It was that bad. It’s actually worse.”
It is also very damning and revealing that the GOP is now digging both heels in a discrediting campaign.
It’s because they know they are implicated, so they’re pivoting to (again) the classic abuse playbook of “it’s not as bad as they say.”It was that bad. It’s actually worse.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 3, 2021
Ari Rabin-Havt, the former campaign manager for the Bernie Sanders campaign who was on the premises during the attack, defended Ocasio-Cortez, saying that “anyone suggesting [she] is exaggerating is ignorant or a liar”.
During the attack I was at the Rayburn Tunnel. Trying to find a hiding place, I moved to Canon. A swat team came running through the tunnel intersection yelling it was not safe & I should find a place to hide.
Anyone suggesting @aoc is exaggerating is ignorant or a liar. https://t.co/0xDew9PtkK— Ari Rabin-Havt (@AriRabinHavt) February 3, 2021
