Republican Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw has come under fire for his response to a tweet from Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about her working-class background.
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Thursday that Republican Senators “sit around on leather chairs all day,” while she had to work a “physically difficult working class job” prior to taking office.
Republicans like to make fun of the fact that I used to be a waitress, but we all know if they ever had to do a double they’d be the ones found crying in the walk-in fridge halfway through their first shift bc someone yelled at them for bringing seltzer when they wanted sparkling
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 4, 2020
The thing that these conservative Senators don’t seem to understand is that I’ve actually had a physically difficult working-class job without good healthcare most of my adult life.
I bring that work ethic to Congress & to my community. They sit around on leather chairs all day.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 3, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez later clarified her comments in a tweet Friday night, saying they were directed at Republicans who “mock” her history in the service industry. (RELATED: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Offers $58 ‘Tax The Rich’ Sweatshirt)
Ryan Saavedra, reporter at the Daily Wire, shot back at Ocasio-Cortez, tweeting that Republicans like Crenshaw have “lost limbs for this country while AOC cried in a refrigerator because she got an order wrong.”
AOC says Republicans just “sit around on leather chairs all day” while she has had a “difficult working-class job” as a bartender
Republicans Dan Crenshaw, Brian Mast, and Jim Baird all lost limbs for this country while AOC cried in a refrigerator because she got an order wrong pic.twitter.com/wWUU5mrCTz
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 5, 2020
Crenshaw jokingly responded that “one of the hardest decisions” he ever had to make while serving in Afghanistan was “still or sparkling?”
One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make in the mountains of Afghanistan: still or sparkling? That was the moment I knew true hardship.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) December 5, 2020
Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost his eye during an IED blast, furthered his criticism of Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet Saturday while at a campaign event for Republican Georgia Sen. David Perdue, saying that Democrats are controlled by people like her “who believes that the biggest hardship in life was figuring out whether it was still or sparkling.”
NEW: Perdue campaign mocks @AOC‘s working class roots… #GASenRunoff pic.twitter.com/UXRHS9og7F
— Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) December 5, 2020
Twitter users were quick to jump on Crenshaw for his comments, with former Democratic Houston Mayor Annise Parker saying Crenshaw’s comments were “mocking the honest work of those who are trying to put food on their own tables.”
Dan Crenshaw, my wife waited tables for years before she started her own business. My son waited tables while in school. Many who are still COVID-unemployed were restaurant workers. Mocking the honest work of those who are trying to put food on their own tables is shameful. https://t.co/SCURm1ihuJ
— Annise Parker (@AnniseParker) December 5, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez also joined in, saying Crenshaw’s comments showed the GOP doesn’t care about the working class.
The GOP acts like they care, but behind closed doors, this is what they actually say about the working class.
Good to know how little you truly think of food workers, @DanCrenshawTX.
I wonder: did you have catering while bonding w/ wealthy donors over your disdain for the poor? https://t.co/qrZShdTbME
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 5, 2020
Crenshaw responded to Ocasio-Cortez, calling her comments “ridiculous.”
Lol thank you for highlighting how ridiculous you sound.
We “republican elites” who fought in the mountains of Afghanistan will just go ahead and check our privilege. https://t.co/jCi2njWj6s
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) December 5, 2020
National Republican Senatorial Committee senior advisor Matt Whitlock jumped in, defending Crenshaw’s comment.
“Dan Crenshaw is mocking what AOC specifically said about Republicans not understanding hard work.”
You serious? Dan Crenshaw (who lost an eye in Afghanistan) is mocking what AOC specifically said about Republicans not understanding hard work.
Did you listen to what you posted? Or are we all playing Aaron Rupar now? https://t.co/vCHVgPFHnw
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) December 5, 2020