Freshman congresswoman and squad member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has claimed that she will refuse to pay the mandatory dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Fox News reported. Ocasio-Cortez has cited the fact that she does not feel that she or other outside challengers are "welcome" in the party.
"I don't see the sense in giving a quarter-million dollars to an organization that has clearly told people like me that we're not welcome," Ocasio-Cortez explained.
The "people like me" comment referred to insurgents against long-standing Democratic incumbents. Ocasio-Cortez famously rose to fame after beating Rep. Joseph Crowley. Crowley, who had previously been hailed as having a bright future in the Democratic party, had not seen a challenger in over a decade.
Ocasio-Cortez added that the DCC "want(s) to take my money, but push me out, or push candidates like me out."
Another factor that Ocasio-Cortez has cited in her decision to boycott the dues is the monumental sum requested by the DCCC. As a prerequisite for all Democratic lawmakers in the House, they can be as low as $150,000 for newer members and reach $1 million -- like the fee paid by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"It's pretty nuts -- $250,000 for a freshman member. Can you imagine being 30 years old and getting a bill for $250,000? I still have $20,000 in student loan debt," she said.
