AOC tells Jen Psaki that Kevin McCarthy is not “actually running his caucus” and claims that “racist, heinous, extremist” Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene are pulling the strings
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t think Kevin McCarthy is leading House Republicans
- Said “extremists,” like Representative Marjorie Taylor Green, are pulling McCarthy’s strings
- Came during a sit-down interview with Jen Psaki
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez propagates a theory that far-right lawmakers run the Republican Party in the House by letting Speaker Kevin McCarthy “do their bidding.”
Progressive New York lawmakers told President Joe Biden’s former White House press secretary Jen Psaki on her MSNBC show Sunday morning that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene actually pulls the strings of McCarthy behind the scenes.
While she gave no examples, Ocasio-Cortez said when Rep. Taylor Greene is annoyed, she publicly admits that she is in control.
Both Ocasio-Cortez and Taylor Greene are among the most controversial and extreme figures on opposite sides of the political spectrum and are both often referred to by their initials – AOC and MTG, respectively.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told Jen Psaki on Sunday morning she doesn’t believe Kevin McCarthy is running the House Republicans
Rather, AOC said, “racist, heinous, extremist” members of the party, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (left), pulling McCarthy’s strings
“Do you think he actually runs his caucus, or do you think someone else does?” Psaki asked AOC in a sit-down interview.
“He’s not,” she said.
“I think Marjorie Taylor Greene is leading the caucus,” AOC added. “And she makes very ordinary, public statements about that. Whenever something annoys her, she communicates that McCarthy does what she wants. I think this is something that is very clear.”
AOC explained that McCarthy is being forced to juggle the more extreme and more established branches of his party, while also trying to maintain a majority as the 2024 election season quickly approaches.
“I think Speaker McCarthy is stuck between pleasing the most racist and heinous elements of this party and preserving a majority,” the congressman said. “And he sides with the extremists.”
McCarthy struggled to earn his seat as House Speaker when the GOP took control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections.
It took 15 separate votes for McCarthy to win the speakership, as far-rights held the position hostage in exchange for having the power to remove him with just one person forcing a recall vote.
He also had to agree to ensure that the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus is proportionally represented on committees compared to other groups within the conference.
AOC sat down for an interview with Joe Biden’s former White House press secretary Jen Psaki on her MSNBC Sunday morning show