Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded on the House floor Thursday to Rep. Ted Yoho’s comments about her, arguing the congressman’s words were a part of a much larger pattern of harassment and language aimed at dehumanizing women in American society.
“I have encountered words uttered by Mr. Yoho and men uttering the same words as Mr. Yoho while I was being harassed in restaurants. I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho’s,” the 30-year-old former bartender said. “That’s when we start to see that this issue is not about one incident. It is cultural.”
Mr. Yoho and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez got into a heated exchange earlier this week on the Capitol steps where he harshly criticized her comments about rising crime in New York City was due to job losses and poverty, according to The Hill. During that incident, Mr. Yoho reportedly called her “disgusting” and “crazy.”
The Florida Republican also reportedly called her a “f—-ing bitch” as he walked away.
Mr. Yoho went to the House floor on Wednesday to address the incident, though he did not admit to directing the disparaging remark at the congresswoman.
“I rise to apologize for the abrupt manner of the conversations I had with my colleague from New York. It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for this country, but it does not mean we should be disrespectful,” Mr. Yoho said.
“The offensive name-calling, words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues and if they were construed that way, I apologize for my misunderstanding,” he added. “I cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family and my country.”
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez — who had previously responded on Twitter and Instagram with “clap-backs” saying “bitches get things done” — said it was Mr. Yoho’s latest remarks that spurred her to address the incident on the House floor.
“I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse, and worse, to see that, to see that excuse. And to see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology,” she said.
The Florida Republican doubled down on Thursday, denying the exchange happened the way the New York Democrat claimed.
“No one was accosted, bullied or attacked. This was a brief policy discussion plain and simple and we have our differences. We are both passionate members of Congress and equals,” Mr. Yoho wrote in a statement to The Washington Times.
“She has every right give her account of the conversation but she doesn’t have the right to inflate, talk about my family, or give an account that did not happen for political gain. The fact still remains, I am not going to apologize for something I didn’t say,” he continued.
Mr. Yoho invoked his wife and two daughters during his speech Wednesday and argued he was unapologetic about his “passion” in believing those who are living in poverty can rise above that.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez countered, saying that his remarks “gave permission” to other men to speak in the same manner to the women he loved. She added that while he is a father, it did not excuse his behavior.
“What I want to express to Mr. Yoho is gratitude,” she said. “I want to thank him for showing the world that you can be a powerful man and accost women … You can take photos and project an image to the world of being a family man and accost women without remorse and with a sense of impunity.”
More than a dozen other Democratic lawmakers joined Ms. Ocasio-Cortez on the floor to condemn the incident.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy defended Mr. Yoho’s floor remarks on Thursday, arguing that any further debate on the matter was taking time away from working on the coronavirus pandemic.
“I watched that Congressman Yoho went to the floor [and] apologized not once but twice … I watched the majority leader accept his apology,” the California Republican said. “In America, I know people make mistakes. We’re a forgiving nation. I also think when someone apologizes we should forgive them.”
Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, said Wednesday that Mr. Yoho’s floor remarks were “appropriate” and hoped they were sincere, but on Thursday he called the address a “nonapology.”
Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women & Politics at Rutgers University, said this incident is indicative of women being targeted generally — not only online via “trolling” but also in politics.
She cited another tussle in the Nebraska State Senate this week where state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks was reportedly told to “shut up” and then flipped off on the floor by another member during debate on an abortion bill.
Ms. Walsh also highlighted the surge of criticism GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney is facing from the further right-wings of her party.
“What we’re seeing is a change in what is acceptable behavior that is deeply disturbing,” Ms. Walsh told The Washington Times. “What has happened is, in general, the discourse has sunk. And I think women have become the easy target.”
She argued that while lawmakers tend to have thicker skin in these kinds of skirmishes, it can discourage other women from running for office.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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