Democratic Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday fired back at journalists from the Washington Examiner and Fox News who have criticized her for appearing to wear expensive clothing while claiming she cannot afford an apartment in Washington, D.C.
"The reason journos from @FoxNews to @dcexaminer can't help but obsess about my clothes, rent, or mischaracterize respectful convos as 'fights' is bc as I've said, women like me aren't supposed to run for office - or win," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "& that's exactly why the BX and Queens sent me here."
In her tweet, the democratic socialist born in the Bronx to a working-class family included a link to a Quartz story whose author tweeted, "@Ocasio2018 keeps getting shamed for her clothes because critics feel threatened by what she represents, and so they choose to focus on her appearance to show that she's not who she says she is—and by extension, that she doesn't belong."
The story pointed out that Washington Examiner writer Eddie Scarry had tweeted a photo of Ocasio-Cortez's backside and wrote: "Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I'll tell you something: that jacket and coat don't look like a girl who struggles."
Ocasio-Cortez shortly after called Scarry out. "Oh, does @eScarry think he can delete his misogyny without an apology?" she tweeted.
She also suggested that her political opponents would attack her no matter what she wore.
"If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside. If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh & take a picture of my backside," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "Dark hates light - that's why you tune it out. Shine bright & keep it pushing."
Conservatives attacked Ocasio-Cortez on the campaign trail by claiming that her clothing and where she grew up indicated she lead a more luxurious life than the working-class constituents she has promised to represent. They bashed her for wearing a more than $3,000 outfit and $600 shoes for an Interview magazine photoshoot in September. However, the clothes were simply loaned to her by the magazine.
Fox & Friends joined the conversation and mocked Ocasio-Cortez for having "expensive tastes for a socialist."
"I mean, I want a pair of $600 shoes," guest host Katie Pavlich commented. "I think she should redistribute."
Ocasio-Cortez made history when she won her November midterm race and became the youngest woman to be elected to Congress, at the age of 29.
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