Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Slams ‘Splinter Group’ Of Democrats Who Supported Amendment To Gun Control Bill

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed the “splinter group” of Democrats who supported a last-minute amendment to the historic gun control bill that passed the House last week, reports the Huffington Post.

The bill passed the House 240-190 and becomes the most important piece of gun control legislation over the last two decades. As reported, the bill would require background checks on all gun sales in the United States. But the approval of the bill was not without hiccups, with Republicans introducing a last-minute amendment to the bill.

Doug Collins, a GOP House member from Georgia, introduced an amendment that would require the FBI to inform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when undocumented immigrants attempt to purchase a gun. Twenty-six Democrats supported this provision, among whom were 22 lawmakers who won seats that were previously occupied by Republicans, as noted by Think Progress.

Observers noted that this support coming largely from new Democrats was evidence of the lawmakers not wanting to make their constituents unhappy. But Ocasio-Cortez, who supported the final bill, nonetheless blew steam on Twitter, where she wrote that she was upset with Democrats supporting what she called a “gotcha amendment.”

“ICE is a dangerous agency with 0 accountability, widespread reporting of rape, abuse of power [and] children dying in DHS custody,” she wrote. “Having a D next to your name doesn’t make that right.”

Ocasio-Cortez was criticized in some circles for lashing out at the Democrats, with some lawmakers arguing that her behavior was threatening. The Washington Post later reported that Democrats were worried that Ocasio-Cortez intended to prepare challengers for Democrats who supported the ICE provision.

The New York congresswoman, however, refuted the claim and said that she never threatened a primary.

“Again, didn’t threaten a primary,” she wrote on Twitter.

“I was upset that 26 Dems forced the other 200+ to vote for a pro-ICE provision at the last min without warning. Because I think an agency that pins children down + forcibly injects them w/ antipsychotic drugs shouldn’t be given more power.”

Ocasio-Cortez just implied that ‘Dangerous’ ICE is guilty of Rape… https://t.co/TY787epdvr

— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 2, 2019

Meanwhile, conservative media has come down heavily on Ocasio-Cortez’s characterization of ICE as a “dangerous” agency, with popular actor James Wood and right-wing pundits like Wayne Dupree and Jim Hoft all slamming the New York congresswoman for her comments. While Woods said that she was going “off the rails,” Dupree said Ocasio-Cortez had started to tread in “problematic waters.”

But such criticism would likely not stop her from speaking her mind, as battling down detractors is a problem Ocasio-Cortez has faced since winning the primary nomination last year.