AOC skipped inauguration out of fear of GOP House colleagues
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is also concerned about safety considering GOP members have been exposed for aiding rioters in the January 6th attack
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not taking any chances with her safety these days.
Cortez, affectionately known as AOC, skipped President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday due to Republican lawmakers attempting to bring guns into the United States Capitol earlier this month.
On Thursday’s episode of Cuomo Prime Time, she opened up about her fears.
“The moment you bring a gun onto the House floor in violation of rules, you put everyone around you in danger,” said Ocasio-Cortez per Yahoo News. “It is irresponsible. It is reckless. But beyond that, it is a violation of rules. You are openly disobeying the rules that we have established as a community, which means that you cannot be trusted to be held accountable to what we’ve decided as a community.”
Read More: Republican congressman Andy Harris tried to bring gun on House floor: report
She is also concerned about her safety at work, considering GOP members have been exposed for aiding rioters in the January 6th attack.
“I think we also had very real security concerns as well, as you mentioned earlier. We still don’t yet feel safe around other members of Congress,” Ocasio-Cortez added.
Host Chris Cuomo asked, “How much is ‘we’?” AOC responded with, “I think a very considerable amount.”
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Metal detectors were installed outside of the House’s chamber, but some Congress members have attempted to bypass them. Members like Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado says she would like to carry her Glock at all times. Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland also tried to sneak a gun into the House chamber.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is charging a fine for those who bypass the metal detector, but Ocasio-Cortez says there no reason to bring a gun to the Capitol.
“I don’t care if you accidentally set it off. I don’t care if you intentionally set it off. I don’t care if you don’t set it off at all. You are endangering the lives of members of Congress,” AOC added. “And it is absolutely outrageous that we even have to have this conversation.”
As previously reported by theGrio, initially, some Congress members refused to walk through the metal detectors.
New security protocols designed to protect lawmakers after the attack on the deadly insurrection are drawing the ire of the very people they were installed to protect.
At least ten Republican members of Congress are pushing back against having to walk through metal detectors in order to enter the House chamber.
NBC News is reporting that among those resisting or refusing were Reps. Louie Gohmert of Texas, Steve Stivers of Ohio, Van Taylor of Texas, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, Larry Bucshon of Indiana, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.
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