Several House Democrats facing midterm campaigns in 2022 received a surprise in the form of $5,000 from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The contributions were sent in an effort to help the House majority stay ahead of a tough upcoming election cycle without contributing directly to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — which AOC has been publicly against.
She created a political action committee (PAC) to raise money for progressive primary candidates herself after she criticized DCCC policies.
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“I give quite a bit to fellow Dems – we’ve fundraised over $300,000 for others (more than my ‘dues’), w/ over 50% going to swing seats. DCCC made clear that they will blacklist any org that helps progressive candidates like me. I can choose not to fund that kind of exclusion,” she tweeted in January.
Ocasio-Cortez’s generosity was seen differently amongst many at the campaign headquarters, who now say there was a “miscommunication.” The gesture has reportedly created awkwardness among some of her Democratic colleagues and some are thinking about returning the money before the GOP attempts to attack AOC’s gesture, POLITICO reported.
“The GOP has spent four years saying the frontliners are all socialists. Now they’ve got the receipts to prove it. Anyone telling themselves this won’t be in campaign ads is in denial,” a Democratic consultant who works for swing-seat members said of the gesture.
Sources say that Ocasio-Cortez could’ve mended the anxiety by giving money directly to DCCC.
Some members whose campaigns received unsolicited funds reached out to DCCC Chair Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York and his staffers for answers after aides gave wire transfer information to Ocasio-Cortez’s aides without prior approval, according to the outlet.
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Fox News reported that at least three Democrats including Reps. Carolyn Bourdeaux of Georgia, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania chose to decline or return the funds they received.
Despite the returns, the contribution to Democrats may create a liability for those who seek to win reelection as Ocasio-Cortez’s name will likely appear on her colleague’s Federal Election Commission reports this month.
Chris Hayden, spokesperson for DCCC declined to address other details, saying, “We appreciate Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s ongoing commitment to a Democratic majority. Due to a miscommunication, some transfers were made in error, but that has been addressed.”
On Twitter, Democratic politician Paula Jean Swearengin declared that she won’t “align” with Ocasio-Cortez.
“This is not what we supported when we started. Pretty sure @AOC is batting for what the party wanted her to do, not what will help to pass the policies we need. I’m highly disappointed with my colleague & I won’t align myself with her anymore,” Swearengin tweeted.
Jen Perelman echoed Swearengin’s sentiments, saying her criticism is not an attempt to cancel her, “AOC taking grassroots money & giving it to corporate candidates is not something we signed up for. It’s one thing to play the game. It’s another thing entirely to financially betray so many who got you to this point. I hope there’s a good explanation.”
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