“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary took a shot at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) while discussing New York’s economy.
During an appearance on CNN, O’Leary called New York “uninvestable,” adding, “Sorry, don’t shoot the messenger. Just telling you the way it is.”
Co-anchor Kaitlin Collins noted there would be “pushback from our elected officials in New York on that.”
O’Leary replied, “I’ll debate them anytime of the day you want, particularly AOC.”
He continued, “She’s great at killing jobs. She kills jobs by the thousands.”
O’Leary mentioned Amazon’s decision to take the company’s jobs “away from her.”
He added, “She threatened to sue them if they created jobs. I mean, this is a reality.”
A co-host chimed in, saying, “There’s a little more to it, but let’s not re-litigate that.”
The investor responded, “Well, you know, sorry, just telling the truth.”
Watch O’Leary’s comments below:
Businessman and Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary slams AOC on CNN as hosts rush to her defense:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 3, 2023
“She's great at killing jobs! She kills jobs by the thousands!" pic.twitter.com/tM13clCG2o
In February 2019, Amazon squashed plans to build a corporate headquarters in New York City.
“A number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward,” Amazon said in a statement at the time.
Ocasio-Cortez celebrated Amazon’s decision on Twitter.
“Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers and their neighbors defeated Amazon’s corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world,” she tweeted.
Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazon’s corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world. https://t.co/nyvm5vtH9k
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 14, 2019
In April 2022, she received backlash from Christian Smalls, the man who received credit for the leading the charge to unionize Amazon workers at a distribution center in Staten Island.
When he asked if he had a message for Ocasio-Cortez, Smalls said, “Hell no.”
He added, “She don’t deserve this moment.”
The lawmaker responded to a Twitter user after the comments from Smalls were brought to her attention.
“The warehouse isn’t in my district and maybe you should look at a map before claiming so. One scheduling conflict aside, we have requested oversight investigations into Amazon, met with Amazon workers in the Woodside warehouses, and more. Hope you do more due diligence next time,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote.
The warehouse isn’t in my district and maybe you should look at a map before claiming so. One scheduling conflict aside, we have requested oversight investigations into Amazon, met with Amazon workers in the Woodside warehouses, and more. Hope you do more due diligence next time.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 31, 2022
She went on, “Regardless we are ecstatic of today’s organizing results and worker demonstration of what’s possible not only in Staten Island but across the country.”
