Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ted Yoho Explicit Insult Controversy

Overview

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ted Yoho Explicit Insult Controversy refers to the ongoing reaction to U.S. Representative Ted Yoho (Florida) reportedly calling fellow House member congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a "fucking bitch" in an exchange on the steps of the Capitol Building. Ocasio-Cortez addressed the incident on the House floor in a speech, video of which widely circulated online in late July 2020.

Background

On July 21st, 2020, The Hill^[1] reported that Florida Republican Ted Yoho approached New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol and engaged in a heated exchange. Ted Yoho reportedly called her "disgusting" and "You are out of your freaking mind." As they parted, Yoho called her a "fucking bitch."

The issue allegedly stemmed from comments made by Ocasio-Cortez on July 9th. She said that the rising crime rate is due to economic hardships felt by residents as a result of the pandemic (shown below). She said:

Crime is a problem of a diseased society, which neglects its marginalized people, and we do not solve that problem with police. […] Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren't paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent, and so they go out and they need to feed their child and they don't have money. So … they're put in a position where they feel like they either need to shoplift some bread or go hungry that night.

Republicans are all upset that I’m connecting the dots between poverty and crime.I know most of them haven’t experienced or seen these issues first hand, but I have.This may be hard for them to admit, but poverty and crime are highly linked, both violent & nonviolent alike. https://t.co/4t34dCLZlw

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 13, 2020

Developments

Following the exchange, Texas Republican Representative Roger Williams, who was next to Yoho during the altercation, said, "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. I don't know what their topic was. There's always a topic, isn't there?"

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Response

Following the incident, Ocasio-Cortez said, "That kind of confrontation hasn't ever happened to me -- ever. I've never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me."

That day, Ocasio-Cortez retweeted the report from the Hill and tweeted,^[2] "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." The tweet received more than 316,000 likes and 57,000 retweets in less than one week (shown below).

Ted Yoho Response

Brian Kaveney, a spokesperson for Representative Yoho, denied that he lobbed the insult at Ocasio-Cortez. Kaveney said, "He did not call Rep. Ocasio-Cortez what has been reported in The Hill or any name for that matter. Instead, he made a brief comment to himself as he walked away, summarizing what he believes her policies to be."

Addresses on House Floor

On July 22nd, 2020, Yoho apologized for the "abrupt manner of conversation" on the House floor. He continued,^[3] "Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, I'm very cognizant of language." Yoho said he apologized for the misunderstanding, but "cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family and my country" (shown below).

The following day, Ocasio-Cortez addressed the House, as well. She said, "Yesterday, Representative Yoho decided to come to the floor of the House of Representatives and make excuses for his behavior, and that I could not let go. I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that, to see that excuse and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate."

"I will not stay up late at night waiting for an apology from a man who has no remorse over calling women and using abusive language towards women, but what I do have issue with is using women, our wives and daughters, as shields and excuses for poor behavior. I am two years younger than Mr. Yoho's youngest daughter. I am someone's daughter too."

That day, the video went viral online. The news outlet NowThis shared the video on Facebook, where it received more than 5.6 million views, 110,000 reactions, 71,000 shares and 13,000 comments. Redditor^[4] Fiouzy shared the video in the /r/nextfuckinglevel^[4] subreddit. The post received more than 8,700 points (86% upvoted) and 870 comments in less than 24 hours.

Search Interest

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External References