Ocasio-Cortez shocked members of her own party in a Twitter post on Saturday, after seeing some of them vote to add a provision for illegal aliens to a gun control bill. The Republicans put an amendment on the table that would require the new gun control bill to include a stipulation that Immigration and Customs Enforcement must be notified if an illegal immigrant attempts to purchase a gun.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is already urging Democrats to vote against the amendment, which Pelosi referred to as “a blanket policy.” During a news conference on Thursday, Pelosi explained that she wanted the other members to make sure that Republicans were denied any kind of victory. Despite Pelosi’s best efforts, the amendment was passed.
“Vote ‘no.’ Just vote ‘no,’ because the fact is a vote ‘yes’ is to give leverage to the other side, to surrender the leverage on the floor of the House,” said Pelosi following a closed-door meeting of House Democrats.
Even though Pelosi attempted to sway the Democrats in her direction, 26 Democrats voted alongside the Republicans. It’s not surprising, considering they don’t want the public to think that they’re actually trying to support illegal aliens.
“I vote my district,” Rep. Conor Lamb said in an interview on Thursday. The Democrat from Pennsylvania represents a largely conservative area in western Pennsylvania, and they’re sticking by their rights to own a gun.
During the closed-door meeting with the Democrats, Ocasio-Cortez explained that some of the Democratic moderates were setting themselves up to face many challenges in 2020 at the hands of progressive liberals. But Ocasio-Cortez didn’t stop her criticism at the closed-room meeting.
On Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez posted on Twitter: “Mind, you, the same small splinter group of Dems that tried to deny Pelosi the speakership, fund the wall during the shutdown when the public didn’t want it, & are now voting in surprise ICE amendments to gun safety legislation are being called the ‘moderate wing’ of the party.”
“We can have ideological differences and that’s fine. But these tactics allow a small group to force the other 200+ members into actions that the majority disagree with. I don’t think that’s right, and said as much in a closed door meeting,” continued Ocasio-Cortez.
Regardless of how it looks, Ocasio-Cortez denied any plans to support challengers of the Democratic officials during the primaries during the next election. “If you’re mad that I think people SHOULD KNOW when Dems vote to expand ICE powers, then be mad,” said Ocasio-Cortex.
“ICE is a dangerous agency with zero accountability, widespread reporting of rape, abuse of power, + children dying in DHS custody. Having a D next to your name doesn’t make that right,” continued Ocasio-Cortez.
