Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) threatened moderate House Democrats she will put them on a list to be targeted in 2020 if they do not vote with the Leftist majority in the Democrat caucus, the Washington Post reported.
Ocasio-Cortez made the threat during a contentious meeting of House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) after Republicans maneuvered to get a pro-ICE amendment passed with help from moderate Democrats.
Pelosi offered to help Democrats with tough votes but Ocasio-Cortez upstaged Pelosi, threatening to run the moderates out of office.
The controversial amendment requires ICE be notified when an illegal alien tries to buy a gun. The amendment passed with the support of 26 Democrats, prompting a blow-up among Democrats with a frustrated Pelosi calling out the moderates–but extending a hand to help them with tough votes, the Post reported.
Later, when one lawmaker talked about the peril of persistently voting with party leaders on these motions, Pelosi responded that the party stood ready to help team players: “We have a massive M.A.S.H. operation and, frankly, it should be there for those who have the courage to take the vote.”
Ocasio-Cortez, however, threatened to run the moderates out of office:
…But Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the unquestioned media superstar of the freshman class, upped the ante, admonishing the moderates and indicating she would help liberal activists unseat them in the 2020 election.
Corbin Trent, a spokesman for Ocasio-Cortez, said she told her colleagues that Democrats who side with Republicans “are putting themselves on a list.”
“She said that when activists ask her why she had to vote for a gun safety bill that also further empowers an agency that forcibly injects kids with psychotropic drugs, they’re going to want a list of names and she’s going to give it to them,” Trent said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Ocasio-Cortez retweeted an excerpt from a recent interview for a Rolling Stone cover story in which she explained her motive for attacking moderate Democrats who sometimes vote with Republicans, “.@AOC: “I am tired of people saying, ‘I’m gonna vote the same way as bigots, but I don’t share the ideology of bigots.’ Well, you share the action and the agenda of bigots. We need to hold that accountable.”
.@SpeakerPelosi, @AOC, @IlhanMN, and @RepJahanaHayes together on the March cover of @RollingStone pic.twitter.com/SMwMp2uqV9
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 27, 2019
.@AOC: “I am tired of people saying, ‘I’m gonna vote the same way as bigots, but I don’t share the ideology of bigots.’ Well, you share the action and the agenda of bigots. We need to hold that accountable.” https://t.co/sOz8RfGzV8 pic.twitter.com/r6ey6mKFwZ
— Sarah Lerner (@SarahLerner) February 27, 2019
