US: Apology demanded from GOP lawmaker for Ocasio-Cortez remark

A top House Democrat demanded an apology Tuesday from a Republican lawmaker who is accused of using a sexist slur after an angry encounter with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Hill newspaper said one of its reporters witnessed confrontation on Monday between Ocasio-Cortez and Florida Rep. Ted Yoho on steps outside Capitol. After two separated and as Yoho descended a few steps, he appeared to utter sexist comment “to one in particular," Hill reported.

A spokesperson for Yoho, one of House’s most conservative members, denied that he had used a sexist slur and instead contended that Yoho had said “bull——” to describe progressive Ocasio-Cortez's policies.

comments by Yoho were “despicable and unacceptable" and require an apology on House floor, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters.

In a tweet Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said she'd never spoken to Yoho “before he decided to accost me” as y passed each or.

“Believe it or t, I usually get along fine w/ my GOP colleagues. We kw how to check our legislative sparring at committee door. But hey, ‘b(asterisk)tches’ get stuff done," she wrote, using one of words Hill reported Yoho had used.

Yoho, 65, is a member of hard-right House Freedom Caucus and is retiring when his term ends in January. Ocasio-Cortez, 30, is a high-profile first-term congresswoman whose vociferous support for proposals like Green New Deal has won her appearances in GOP campaign ads casting her as a liberal villain.

Congressional Democrats swarmed to Ocasio-Cortez's defense on Twitter.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who, like Ocasio-Cortez, is a member of “Squad" of first-term congresswomen of color, wrote that Yoho had “perpetuated" problem of violence against women with his "sexist verbal attack."

Several male House Democrats tweeted that y agreed with Ocasio-Cortez that poverty is a cause of crime and wondered why Yoho had never confronted m about ir views.

According to Hill, Yoho had approached Ocasio-Cortez on Capitol's outside steps and said her recent comments connecting poverty to a crime surge in New York City during coronavirus pandemic were “disgusting."

“You are out of your freaking mind,” Yoho added. Ocasio-Cortez told Yoho he was being “rude," article said.

Yoho spokesperson Brian Kaveney said in an email Tuesday that Yoho “had a brief member to member conversation” and had t called Ocasio-Cortez a name.

“It is unfortunate that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is using this exchange to gain personal attention," said Kaveny.

He wrote that instead, Yoho said “bull——” to himself “summarizing what he believes her policies to be."

Kaveny did t immediately respond to a follow-up email asking if Yoho would apologize.

Hoyer, . 2 House Democrat, contrasted Yoho's remarks with conciliatory tones often used by Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., civil rights hero who died last week.

“It was act of a bully, of a person who is antisis of person we are horing this week, John Lewis," Hoyer said. He added that Yoho's action was “despicable conduct and it needs to be sanctioned.″