Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., found herself mired in another controversy last week when she came to the defense of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who accused Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., of being a racist for inviting a black Trump official to the highly watched House Oversight Committee hearing.
Meadows invited Lynne Patton, a Department of Housing and Urban Development official to counter former Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s claim that the president is a racist.
Tlaib called Patton “a prop,” which prompted Ocasio-Cortez to tweet: “Total bravery from @RashidaTlaib as she reminds the nation that tokenism *is* racism.”
The democratic socialist came under fire for the racial charged comment, with Fox News’ Charles Payne asking Ocasio-Cortez how many black staff members she has.
“We have Black staff,” she replied. “We don’t parade them around to show the world how diverse our team is, and use that as some kind of evidence of the absence of racism. That’s what tokenism is.”
We have Black staff. We don’t parade them around to show the world how diverse our team is, and use that as some kind of evidence of the absence of racism. That’s what tokenism is. https://t.co/5qWMqy9522
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 2, 2019
This prompted the predictable response, that she was parading around her black staff while claiming she doesn’t do that.
Derek Schwartz tweeted: “This woman just literally did the exact opposite of what she claims in her tweet and doesn’t realize it! “We have black staff. We don’t parade them around”. (As she parades them on twitter). Lord help us all.”
This woman just literally did the exact opposite of what she claims in her tweet and doesn’t realize it! “We have black staff. We don’t parade them around”. (As she parades them on twitter). Lord help us all.
— derek schwartz (@derek_mafs) March 2, 2019
But Turning Point USA’s Candace Owens responded to shred Ocasio-Cortez, calling the newly elected Democrat “radically stupid” for insulting an educated black man by accusing him of tokenism.
“The audacity of you to accuse a black man of tokenism. Have you lost your mind? You are a puppet for the party of the KKK, slavery, and Jim Crowe,” Owens tweeted. “Don’t you dare try to step to an educated black man and insult him for not being as radically stupid as you.”
The audacity of you to accuse a black man of tokenism.
Have you lost your mind?
You are a puppet for the party of the KKK, slavery, and Jim Crowe.
Don’t you dare try to step to an educated black man and insult him for not being as radically stupid as you. https://t.co/JhkTTJyvWl
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 2, 2019
She also ripped Ocasio-Cortez for what she called a racial slur.
“I’m not even done. A democratic congresswoman using a RACIAL SLUR to describe black conservatives is NOT OKAY. How dare you?!!!” she tweeted. “Referring to blacks as coons, tokens, or house negroes is a RACIAL SLUR. You are absolute filth for this @AOC.”
I’m not even done.
A democratic congresswoman using a RACIAL SLUR to describe black conservatives is NOT OKAY.
How dare you?!!! Referring to blacks as coons, tokens, or house negroes is a RACIAL SLUR.
You are absolute filth for this @AOC https://t.co/JhkTTJyvWl
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 2, 2019
Payne responded to explain to Ocasio-Cortez that her rhetoric was “disappointing.” He also recommended that her black staff members may want to be more visible.
“Thanks for getting back,” he tweeted. “Its disappointing rhetoric to suggest people are paraded and belittle hiring of Black people as tokenism. Moreover, questioning their accomplishments is even more problematic. You get that. BTW some of the Black folks on your staff my want to be visible.”
Thanks for getting back. Its disappointing rhetoric to suggest people are paraded and belittle hiring of Black people as tokenism. Moreover, questioning their accomplishments is even more problematic. You get that. BTW some of the Black folks on your staff my want to be visible. https://t.co/jvCKNGt6kV
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) March 2, 2019
As for how many black staffers she had, the closest Ocasio-Cortez came to giving an answer was to refer to a Washington Post article that highlighted Ariel Eckblad, the congresswoman’s black legislative director.
And for those wondering, you can read a bit about our staff here: https://t.co/AcxBUtU5Uu
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 2, 2019
Conservative teen pundit CJ Pearson responded to the controversy to say that he has “never heard something more racist” than Ocasio-Cortez’s remark.
.@AOC is going around calling black conservatives “tokens”.
The idea that any black person – who thinks for themselves – is a “token” is not only wrong but its unapologetically racist. pic.twitter.com/w5yQNhk3U2
— CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) March 2, 2019
Owens’ boss, Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk, commented to note how the media routinely covers for Democrats who make racially charged remarks — as you might guess, the story got scant coverage.
“Imagine if a Republican member of Congress used a horrible racial slur to attack a black businessman TV host like @AOC did, accusing Republicans of “tokenism” The left continues to get away with their racist policies and language as the media ignores it,” he tweeted.
Imagine if a Republican member of Congress used a horrible racial slur to attack a black businessman TV host like @AOC did, accusing Republicans of “tokenism”
The left continues to get away with their racist policies and language as the media ignores it
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 2, 2019
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