Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) fired back at Congressman Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) following his confrontation with her on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.
Ocasio-Cortez appeared on the House floor on Thursday to express her frustration with Yoho over his comments arguing they contribute to an already existing culture of sexism.
“This is not new, and that is the problem,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She added, “This issue is not about one incident, it is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting of violence and violent language against women, and an entire structure of power that supports that.”
Watch her comments below:
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on GOP lawmaker who reportedly used derogatory language toward her: "This is not new…It is a culture of lack of impunity; of accepting of violence and violent language against women; and an entire structure of power that supports that" https://t.co/JEuDTpbHpQ pic.twitter.com/W81t65PKDb
— ABC News (@ABC) July 23, 2020
Yoho told Ocasio-Cortez, “You are out of your freaking mind,” and reportedly said “f***ing b**ch” as he walked away, as IJR previously reported.
The congressman addressed the exchange the following morning. He said he wanted to “apologize for the abrupt manner of the conversation” he had with Ocasio-Cortez.
Yoho went on to say he cannot “apologize” for his “passion or for loving my God, my family and my country.”
Yoho’s spokesman, Brian Kaveney, told ABC News he did not call her “what has been reported in the Hill or any name for that matter.”
Ocasio-Cortez claimed every woman in the nation has gone through an experience involving sexism.
She also explained Yoho’s remarks were not “deeply hurtful” or “piercing” to her.
The congresswoman detailed her experiences with similar comments made by other men.
“This kind of language is not new. I have encountered words uttered by Mr. Yoho and men uttering the same words as Mr. Yoho while I was being harassed in restaurants,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She continued, “I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho’s, and I have encountered this type of harassment riding the subway in New York City.”