Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shines light on ‘sloppy’ GOP witnesses: ‘It’s embarrassing’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called out the GOP on Twitter Thursday for what she described as “the sheer mediocrity of witnesses” it called forth during House committee hearings.
One of the things that genuinely surprised me in Congress is the sheer mediocrity of witnesses called forth by the GOP in hearings.
Yesterday they brought in a guy w/ a polka dot bowtie backed by oil lobbyists arguing that fossil fuels are “healthy.” HEALTHY.
It’s embarrassing. https://t.co/B17AsEZuCP— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
I honestly thought GOP witnesses would be well-prepared, w/ sophisticated arguments for the opposing view - evil-genius lobbyist types.
But they’re often sloppy + reaching (not all though). I think if everyday GOP voters saw the witnesses called on their behalf, they’d be upset.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 2, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez sits on the House Committees on Financial Services and Oversight and Reform and is also a member of subcommittees on Environment and Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. She has endeavored to shine a light on how Washington works since her victory in the 2018 midterm elections, which was documented in the new Netflix movie“Knock Down The House.”
In February, Ocasio-Cortez expressed her shock at discovering that lobbyists pay people (some of whom are homeless) to wait in line for them outside committee hearings.
Shock doesn’t begin to cover it.
Today I left a hearing on homelessness & saw tons of people camped outside committee.
I turned to my staff and asked if it was a demonstration.
“No,” they said. “Lobbyists pay the homeless + others to hold their place so they can get in 1st.” pic.twitter.com/mXbgqkKp4P— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 13, 2019
Apparently this is a normal practice, and people don’t bat an eye.
The first few people in line are guaranteed a seat in a given hearing.
This was the hearing for marijuana banking laws. Lobbyists and those who can afford it pay people to hold their spot so they get in 1st.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 13, 2019
Related: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Instagram
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
