Former Democratic New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind said he plans to sue Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for blocking Twitter users.
“Most likely we will be [the] only plaintiff, but [we will be] citing other examples,” Hikind told Fox News on Tuesday. “The claim is [the] same as [the] one against Trump. She uses that account for political/policy commentary, so to shut a citizen off from her statements is a problem — as well as blocking me from petitioning her or seeking redress.”
The lawsuit against the 29-year-old New York Democrat would target her personal @AOC Twitter account, which has a much larger audience of 4.6 million followers than the 171,000 followers of her official account.
“No one is above the law. If the courts ruled POTUS can’t block people on Twitter, why would @AOC think she can get away with silencing her critics?” Hikind said Tuesday on Twitter.
No one is above the law. If the courts ruled POTUS can’t block people on Twitter, why would @AOC think she can get away with silencing her critics? pic.twitter.com/Ea498kTWEs
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) July 9, 2019
The freshman congresswoman has blocked the conservative news site Daily Caller and One America News Network host Liz Wheeler, among others.
Omg hahahah @AOC blocked me!
I am ALWAYS respectful & civil. I present facts only, nothing personal. Somebody is threatened by facts & the truth! pic.twitter.com/IvZPMXKX0i
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) July 5, 2019
Hikind’s lawsuit comes in the wake of an appeals court ruling President Trump violated the Constitution by blocking people on Twitter.
The ruling bans public officials from blocking people on social media in what would be an “otherwise open online dialogue.”
“In resolving this appeal, we remind the litigants and the public that if the First Amendment means anything, it means that the best response to disfavored speech on matters of public concern is more speech, not less,” the judge said.
Hikind is Jewish and the founder of Americans Against Antisemitism.
In June, he criticized Ocasio-Cortez for describing the migrant detention facilities on the southern border as concentration camps. Hikind suggested she visit Nazi concentration camps to “get a proper” education on the Holocaust.
Hey @AOC please join the Congressional Delegation Tour of Nazi Camps so you can get a proper, and free Education on the Holocaust.
At least that way you won’t have to rely on “experts” for your judgements and can decide for yourself! pic.twitter.com/ia1cZ9LrpL
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) June 21, 2019
