Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho disputed reports that said he called New York Rep. Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez names, apologizing for how the incident was “misunderstood” by the press.
While making remarks on the House floor on Wednesday, Yoho denied reports that he called the socialist “disgusting” and a “f—ing bitch” during a heated conversation. Ocasio-Cortez, a liberal firebrand, later remarked she “never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me.”
“I rise to apologize for the abrupt manner of the conversation I had with my colleague from New York. It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America, but that does not me that we should be disrespectful,” Yoho began. “Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, I’m very cognizant of my language. 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 their misunderstanding.”
In a statement on Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez brushed off the confrontation, writing that “b*itches get stuff done.”
“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,” the Democrat wrote. “But hey, ‘b*tches’ get stuff done.”
Yoho initially declined to discuss the exchange, telling The Hill, “No comment.”
After the Republican’s remarks, Ocasio-Cortez insisted Yoho refused to take responsibility for accosting her on the U.S. Capitol steps.
“Republican responds to calling a colleague ‘disgusting’ & a ‘f—ing b*tch’ w/ ‘I cannot apologize for my passion’ and blaming others. I will not teach my nieces and young people watching that this an apology, and what they should learn to accept,” she wrote on Twitter.
Ticking off a list what Yoho did and didn’t to do, Ocaso-Cortez concluded by saying, “This is not an apology.”
– Does not apologize or name any action he did
– Does not accept responsibility
– Lies (this was not a “conversation,” it was verbal assault)
– Distracts by making it abt poverty (ironically)
– Says everyone else is wrong and the incident never happened.This is not an apology.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 22, 2020
