Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho apologized for the “abrupt form” of an exchange he had with New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after reports that he used profane language during an altercation in the steps from the Capitol on Monday.
Yoho’s comments, overheard by a veteran Hill reporter for The Hill, came after the Republican congressman said Ocasio-Cortez was “disgusting” for his stance on police and crime.
“You’re crazy,” Yoho reportedly told Ocasio-Cortez about the House’s steps for suggesting during a town hall last month that poverty and unemployment are causing an increase in crime in New York City in medium of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ocasio-Cortez responded to the charge by telling Yoho that he was being “rude.”
After separating, Yoho was overheard by the reporter who allegedly referred to Ocasio-Cortez as a “bitch.”
After meeting with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday, Yoho went to the House floor on Wednesday morning to offer his opinion on the matter.
“I get up today to apologize for the abrupt form of the conversation I had with my colleague from New York. It is true that we do not agree with the policies and visions for the United States, but that does not mean that we should be disrespectful,” Yoho said. .
He later denied using blasphemy on Ocasio-Cortez, blaming the journalist who heard his comments for a “misunderstanding.”
“After being married for 45 years with two daughters, I know my language very well,” Yoho said. “The offensive words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues and if they were interpreted as By the way, I apologize for their misunderstanding.”
Yoho spokesman Brian Kaveney also denied that the retired congressman called Ocasio-Cortez the unholy term and told ABC News on Tuesday that “there is no pre-existing” meat “between the two members.”
“He did not call Representative Ocasio-Cortez because of what was reported in the Hill or by any other name. It sounds better to the Hill newspaper and receives more media attention to say he called it a name, which he did not do.” It is unfortunate that Rep Ocasio-Cortez is using this exchange for personal attention, “Kaveney said.” Instead, he made a brief comment to himself as he walked away summarizing what he believes to be his policies: bullsh– ” .
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday that he had a scheduled meeting with Yoho later in the afternoon to discuss what happened during his altercation with Ocasio-Cortez.
“We believe that everyone should show respect for each other, and without knowing what happened, I will have a discussion with him to see what happened,” McCarthy said.
The inflammatory exchange followed the comments that Ocasio-Cortez made earlier last month during a virtual town hall.
“Crime is a problem of a sick society, which neglects its marginalized people,” Ocasio-Cortez said in June. “Surveillance is not the solution to crime.”
Ocasio-Cortez, a first-year Democrat who has one of the highest profiles on Capitol Hill, has repeatedly asked to cut police budgets and transfer those funds to education, mental health, and other social services.
Although he apparently did not hear the comment directly, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about the incident on Tuesday, saying he had never spoken to Yoho before Monday.
Ocasio-Cortez, a liberal firebrand representing parts of Queens and the Bronx, has often grappled with attacks from the far right. But she told The Hill in an interview that this type of confrontation was the first.
“That kind of confrontation has never happened to me, never,” he said. “I’ve never had that kind of abrupt and unpleasant disrespect.”
Although he was seen alongside Yoho, Texas Republican Roger Williams denied hearing the exchange. Ocasio-Cortez said he is not being honest.
The alleged exchange is highly unusual at the United States Capitol, even when a divided Congress exhibits bitter partisanship. Almost 100 years have passed since a member of Congress was censured for using “non-parliamentary language.”
Representative Joe Wilson, RS.C., was reprimanded by the House in 2009 after he notoriously interrupted President Barack Obama’s remarks before a joint session of Congress, when he shouted from the House floor: “You lie!” during the president’s primetime speech at the height of the debate on the Affordable Care Act. That outburst earned Wilson an official reprimand and went down in history as a “violation of decorum” that “degraded procedures.”
House of Representatives majority leader Steny Hoyer, the second Democrat in the House of Representatives, told reporters on Tuesday during a press call that Yoho should be punished for his “despicable” conduct towards another member.
“Simply put, I think it was despicable conduct that should be sanctioned,” said Hoyer, D-Md.
“Mr. Yoho owes not only the congresswoman an apology, but also an apology on the floor of the House of Representatives. We need to pursue this type of conduct and make it very clear that it is unacceptable,” he said.
“It was the act of a stalker, the act of a person who is the antithesis of John Lewis, whom we honor every day this week,” added Hoyer.
A spokesperson for Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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