Editor’s Note – When it comes to political comedy, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is the gift that keeps on giving. Each week, Liberty Nation uncovers the blunders that keep us wondering: How did she ever get elected?
It was another quiet week for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. One of her most irritating ongoing sagas was recently resolved — not in the way she would have hoped, but at least free speech was protected. And finally, she was able to comfort herself by expressing her solidarity with protesters in New York City.
AOC Settles First Amendment Lawsuit
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has been embroiled in a First Amendment lawsuit with a Republican operative for almost a year. But now, it appears the conflict might be coming to a close. Dov Hikind, a former New York lawmaker, filed a lawsuit against the representative when she blocked him from her Twitter account after he criticized her for comparing migrant detention centers to concentration camps.
This incident occurred following a court ruling forbidding President Donald Trump from blocking users on his social media accounts, setting a precedent for Hikind’s legal action. AOC’s team attempted to push back against the lawsuit, claiming that she was not violating Hikind’s First Amendment rights. One of her aides defended her actions, stating that “If she feels the posts start reaching a point where it’s not constructive, where it’s an attack and where the person becomes so polarizing that she cannot have a conversation with them and they’re amplifying their platform.”
It appears that the lawmaker had a change of heart – or just realized there is no way she can win in court. She relented, and her legal team decided to come to a settlement. In court, she said: “I have reconsidered my decision to block Dov Hikind from my Twitter account. Mr. Hikind has a First Amendment right to express his views and should not be blocked for them.”
She then apologized to the plaintiff in a released statement: “In retrospect, it was wrong and improper and does not reflect the values I cherish. I sincerely apologize for blocking Mr. Hikind. Now and in the future, however, I reserve the right to block users who engage in actual harassment or exploit my personal/campaign account, @AOC, for commercial or other improper purposes.”
Well, considering the slew of attacks on the First Amendment that have occurred over the past month, it’s nice to see the Free Speech crowd eke out a victory every now and again.
Backing Anti-Police Protesters
New Yorkers recently engaged in an anti-police protest. Demonstrators entered the subways and jumped the turnstiles without paying the fare. Others held signs displaying slogans such as “No cops, no fares,” and “Ante up! Punch that Cop!”
The protests were a response to multiple incidents in which police arrested suspects in the subway. It is unclear which of these occurrences represented justified use of force and vice versa, but it is easy to see that tensions between New York City residents and law enforcement are rather tense.
But instead of trying to calm the decision, AOC immediately sided with the protesters advocating violence against the police. In a series of tweets, she defended their actions. “Arresting people who can’t afford a $2.75 fare makes no-one safer and destabilizes our community,” she wrote. “New Yorkers know that, they’re not having it and they’re standing up for each other.”
She also railed against the justice system. “Ending mass incarceration means challenging a system that jails the poor to free the rich.”
True to form, she did not explain how jailing the poor somehow means freeing the rich. But we all know that being a progressive means never having to explain one’s positions, right?
What does AOC have in store for us next week? Tune in to find out!
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