Ocasio-Cortez: ‘No consequences’ in GOP for violence, racism

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is calling out House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), claiming in a new interview that there are “no consequences” in the Republican Party for violence and racism.

“This term, there are legitimate white supremacist sympathizers that sit at the heart and at the core of the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives, and when you see someone like the House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy of the Republican Party, respond to white supremacist vitriol coming with his own members not with censure like they did with Rep. Steve King of Iowa, not with being stripped of committees, not with any consequence, you have to wonder who actually has that power,” Ocasio-Cortez said on MSNBC late Wednesday.

“And it increasingly seems, unfortunately, that in the House Republican caucus, Kevin McCarthy answers to these QAnon members of Congress, not the other way around, and that is something that frankly needs to be said,” she continued, referring to Rep. Marjorie Greene (R-Ga.). 

“There are no consequences in the Republican caucus for violence. No consequences for racism. No consequences for misogyny. No consequences for insurrection. And no consequences means that they condone it. It means that that silence is acceptance,” says @AOC. pic.twitter.com/4jkKfb718K

— All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) January 28, 2021

The progressive lawmaker’s comments come after a video surfaced this week that shows Greene taunting David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., on Capitol Hill. A CNN investigation this week also revealed that Greene expressed support for violence against Democrats before running for Congress. She has previously promoted the QAnon conspiracy theory, which falsely alleges that former President Trump was to take down a cabal of Democrats and celebrities who abuse children. 

Ocasio-Cortez late Wednesday also jabbed McCarthy for confirming earlier this week that he would pull Greene aside over her past comments, which have gained new attention. Ocasio-Cortez said he previously pulled aside Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) after he accosted her on the steps of the Capitol and said she was “disgusting” over comments she made about a spike in crime in New York City, later calling her a “f—— bitch.”

“There are no consequences in the Republican caucus for violence. No consequences for racism. No consequences for misogyny. No consequences for insurrection. And no consequences means that they condone it. It means that that silence is acceptance, and they want it because they know it is a core animating political energy for them. This is extremely dangerous, an extremely dangerous threshold that we have crossed,” she continued.

A spokesperson for McCarthy told Axios this week that Greene’s past comments are “deeply disturbing” and confirmed that McCarthy planned to have a conversation with the Georgia lawmaker.