Politics

Calls For Ethics Investigation Into Ocasio-Cortez After She Threatens Donald Trump Jr.

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Benny Johnson Columnist, Viral Politics
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Commenters online are calling for an ethics investigation into Democratic Socialist Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she threatened Donald Trump Jr. for posting a meme making fun of her.

Donald Trump Jr. shared a meme that featured Ocasio-Cortez on his Instagram that claimed the policies of socialism will cause Americans to eat their dogs. The meme shows two images: one of Ocasio-Cortez with the text, “Why are you so afraid of a socialist economy?” and another image beneath Ocasio-Cortez of President Donald Trump with an overlay of text saying, “Because Americans want to walk their dogs, not eat them.”

 

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It’s funny cuz it’s true!!! ????????????????????????????

A post shared by Donald Trump Jr. (@donaldjtrumpjr) on

In response to a Washington Post write up of the meme, Ocasio-Cortez threatened to use the “subpoena power” of Congress against Trump Jr.

“I have noticed that Junior here has a habit of posting nonsense about me whenever the Mueller investigation heats up,” Ocasio-Cortez said, “Please, keep it coming Jr [sic] — it’s definitely a ‘very, very large brain’ idea to troll a member of a body that will have subpoena power in a month.”

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Commenters pointed out that the act of threatening to use the power of Congress against other Americans for partisan gain is prohibited by ethics rules.

Sean Davis of the Federalist pointed to House Ethics Manual stipulations that members of Congress are “prohibited from threatening” due to partisan politics and cited the statute.

Other commenters on Twitter chimed in:

Ocasio-Cortez later tweeted in response to backlash, “For the GOP crying that this is a ‘threat’ — I don’t have power to subpoena anybody. Congress as a body, GOP included, has the power. No [individual] member can issue a subpoena unless they are a chair (which, as a freshman, I can assure you I will not be). Also must be under purview.”