Ocasio Cortez And Yoho

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was accosted and called a “f—ing bitch” by a fellow member of Congress on the steps of the Capitol, she confirmed Tuesday. Ted Yoho and Alexandria Ocasio. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) apologized Wednesday for a confrontation outside the Capitol this week with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in which he reportedly called the high-profile freshman. Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday said she was fine with Yoho not being willing to honestly apologize for his actions, but she took exception to the way Yoho invoked his image as a family man. “What I do have an issue with is using women, our wives, our daughters as shields and excuses for poor behavior,” she said. Ocasio-Cortez promptly refused the gesture, saying Yoho’s heart simply wasn’t in it. The sudden back-and-forth marked the latest developments in a quickly evolving saga featuring two of Capitol Hill’s more polarizing lawmakers: a Freedom Caucus conservative from North Central Florida and a liberal firebrand representing parts of Queens.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was verbally accosted—including being called a 'fucking bitch'—by Republican colleague Rep. Ted Yoho Monday afternoon on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building over her remarks earlier this month tying a rise in New York City crime to increased levels of poverty and housing insecurity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

'That kind of confrontation hasn't ever happened to me—ever,' Ocasio-Cortez told The Hill's Mike Illis—who reported that the exchange was witnessed by a journalist—shortly after the encounter. 'I've never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me.'

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) revealed that there was more that went on with Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) after he called her a “f.king bitch” earlier this year than what people saw on the House floor.

I never spoke to Rep. Yoho before he decided to accost me on the steps of the nation’s Capitol yesterday.

Believe it or not, I usually get along fine w/ my GOP colleagues. We know how to check our legislative sparring at the committee door.

But hey, “b*tches” get stuff done. https://t.co/WlG3xccwR7

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 21, 2020

The progressive Democratic lawmaker was confronted by Yoho, a Florida Republican, for her comments as the two passed each other on the steps of the Capitol building in 'an unusually personal exchange.' According to Illis, Yoho called Ocasio-Cortez 'freaking crazy,' while the New York congresswoman fired back that the GOP legislator was being 'rude.'

After Ocasio-Cortez walked away, Yoho was overheard calling her a 'fucking bitch.'

.@TedYoho called @AOC a 'fucking bitch.' Sounds like Ted Yoho is a 'fucking asshole' https://t.co/QGtX3ohL2x

— Emily C. Singer (@CahnEmily) July 21, 2020

Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), who was walking with Yoho, told Illis that he didn't notice much of the exchange.

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'I was actually thinking, as I was walking down the stairs, I was thinking about some issues I've got in my district that need to get done,' Williams told Illis. 'I don't know what their topic was. There's always a topic, isn't there?'

Here is the reporting from the Hill.

Yoho accosts AOC in a stairwell and starts attacking her policy positions. She disagrees. After they “parted ways” he called her a “fucking bitch.”

Rep Williams, in a profile in courage, says he heard nothing. pic.twitter.com/kqXY2MQNml

— Daniel Schuman (@danielschuman) July 21, 2020

Progressives expressed outrage over Yoho's remarks and solidarity with Ocasio-Cortez, a regular target of right-wing attacks.

'This culture of vitriol does a disservice to America,' tweeted Shahid Buttar, , a progressive Democrat challenging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat in California. 'Right wing voices feel threatened by our voices—and with good reason.'

Ocasio Cortez Yoho Incident

He was furious because AOC said there's a link between poverty and crime. Yoho has also said a tax on tanning beds was racist discrimination against white people, Obama was born in Kenya and a federal anti-Lynching law would 'trample on states rights.'https://t.co/aFDAZFvC8I

— Dan Murphy (@bungdan) July 21, 2020

Rep Yoho Apology

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) noted the sexist undertones to the attack and wondered why Yoho hasn't confronted others with similar views to Ocasio-Cortez.

Ocasio Cortez Yoho Transcript

'Like AOC, I believe poverty to be a root cause of crime,' tweeted Phillips. 'Wonder why Rep. Yoho hasn't accosted me on the Capitol steps with the same sentiment?'