The hashtag #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett was trending on Twitter as many conservative users mocked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her recollection of events during the U.S. Capitol riots in January.
“Who did this,” Turning Point USA Chief Creative Officer Benny Johnson asked, including a photoshopped image of Ocasio-Cortez during an interview under the name “Ocasio Smollett.”
Who did this? ?#AlexandriaOcasioSmollett pic.twitter.com/Ru1crvgfmS
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) February 4, 2021
The viral trend is a reference to actor Jussie Smollett, who claimed to be the victim of a racist attack in early 2019. Smollett’s accusations initially caused a flurry of sympathy for the actor and demands to catch his attackers, but the story quickly unraveled, and police alleged that the actor actually staged the attack in an attempt to get a pay increase.
Now, Ocasio-Cortez’s retelling of her ordeal during the Capitol riots has drawn comparisons to the Smollett story after her claims were called into question by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace.
“AOC made clear she didn’t know who was at her door. Breathless attempts by media to fan fictitious news flames are dangerous,” Mace said on Twitter. “My office is 2 doors down. Insurrectionists never stormed our hallway. Egregious doesn’t even begin to cover it. Is there nothing MSM won’t politicize?”
Conservative Twitter users pounced on the accusation that Ocasio-Cortez fabricated the story, making the #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett hashtag viral as jokes and memes began to flood the platform.
“AOC needs a crying room. There needs to be a campaign to build one in congress. #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett,” joked one user.
AOC needs a crying room. There needs to be a campaign to build one in congress. #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett pic.twitter.com/522MKwYidB
— Syrian Girl ?️?? (@Partisangirl) February 4, 2021
Others piled on with memes poking fun at the New York Democrat.
AOC congratulating Apollo 17 during NASA’s final moon landing on December 11th, 1972. #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett pic.twitter.com/6yXKIEczEI
— drxw (@drxw09) February 4, 2021
I swear no one takes her seriously ? #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett pic.twitter.com/V6YnaQsIey
— CJ (@AlwaysOnSilent0) February 4, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez also took to Twitter to defend herself, insisting that those calling her story into question were “manipulating” facts.
“They are manipulating the fact that most people don’t know the layout the Capitol complex,” she said on Twitter. “We were all on the Capitol complex — the attack wasn’t just on the dome.”
The Associated Press also came to Ocasio-Cortez’s defense, fact-checking one of the satirical memes that was circulating on social media.
“A Facebook post with more than 50,000 views on Wednesday features a picture of Ocasio-Cortez overlaid with a quote. ‘And then the Capitol police officer said ‘This is MAGA country,’” the Associated Press reported.
Despite the content’s satirical nature, the report made clear that the quote was “false.”
“False. Ocasio-Cortez never quoted the Capitol police officer saying these words,” the fact-check said. “In an Instagram Live video about her experience during the melee, Ocasio-Cortez described not knowing whether she could trust a Capitol police officer who entered her office and told her to go to another building.”
Ocasio-Cortez did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
