Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has ruffled feathers on both sides of the aisle since she started her tenure in Congress.
Democrats are now ticked off because Ocasio-Cortez has not paid the $250,000 dues she owes to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).
Ocasio-Cortez has raised millions across the country but will not give any to the DCCC:
“Sometimes the question comes: ‘Do you want to be in a majority or do you want to be in the minority?’” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told Fox News, when asked about AOC’s stance. “And do you want to be part of a team?”Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairwoman Cheri Bustos downplayed Ocasio-Cortez’s decision to shun dues and pointed to the record-breaking fundraising numbers the committee has notched without her.“That’s always up to individual members so I guess I don’t think about it one way or another,” Bustos said when asked about Ocasio-Cortez’s stance. “We’re raising record amounts of money from our members.”The DCCC declined to comment further on the matter of Ocasio-Cortez and her dues.Another Democrat was less diplomatic: “Deadbeat Cortez should pay her bills,” complained the Democratic source. “She’s always whining about people paying their fair share and here she is leaving her friends with the bill.”
Ocasio-Cortez does not hide her distaste for the DCCC since they want to protect incumbents more than “insurgent progressive primary candidates.” She said:
“For me personally, I’m not paying D-trip dues,” said Ocasio-Cortez, using slang for the DCCC and citing a “myriad of reasons.”“One, I don’t agree with the policy around blacklisting groups that help progressive candidates,” she said, referring to a DCCC effort to sideline vendors who assist challengers to members of Congress. “I think we need to evolve as a party and make room for that.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has helped Ocasio-Cortez raise money for those so-called progressive candidates. She endorsed Sanders for president in October.
Ocasio-Cortez raised over $300,000 through online fundraising in 2019:
She solicited nearly $18,000 in donations for Marie Newman, who is taking on current Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski, a conservative Democrat who opposes abortion. She also gave Newman an additional $5,000 directly from her campaign account. Ocasio-Cortez also raised nearly $35,000 in online donations for progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros, who is trying to defeat Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.
Instead, Cueller wants his fellow Democrats to concentrate on ousting Republicans and hold onto the House of Representatives. He hopes the Democrats “will start to get away from this circular firing squad.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY