AOC Picks A Fight With Ted Cruz Over RICO Comments

 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sparred with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) over her recent comment claiming that RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) was in itself “not a crime.”

Ocasio-Cortez made the initial statement during a Wednesday hearing before the House Oversight Committee regarding the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. She was attempting to argue the witness — former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski — into a corner by challenging him to name what specific crimes under the RICO umbrella he believed had been committed.

Frustrated by his unwillingness to simply concede her point, Ocasio-Cortez insisted that RICO was a “CAT-E-GOR-Y” of crimes rather than a specific crime.

WATCH:

And while some responded on X to say that Ocasio-Cortez was correct in her assessment, Cruz was not one of them.

“This is bizarre. RICO — the Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961–1968—is most assuredly a crime. It often results in massive felony sentences. And yet @aoc — eager to defend Joe Biden — insists it’s not a crime,” Cruz posted.

Ocasio-Cortez doubled down, however, lashing out at Cruz directly.

 

“Wrong! RICO is a statute under which specific crimes may be considered — kidnapping, robbery, arson, etc. You need to name the crimes in order to substantiate RICO. So … since you’re the expert, what RICO crimes and evidence does House GOP have? Since they don’t seem to know,” she said.

Fox Business host David Asman shared a comment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s former Chief of the Financial Fraud Unit Sol Wisenberg, who said of Ocasio-Cortez’s outburst, “If you’re going to bully a witness, at least you shouldn’t embarrass yourself by getting the law wrong.”

“RICO is a crime Even #FaniWillis says so That’s why is (sic) has it’s (sic) own distinct code section under state and federal law #ricoisacrime,” Phil Holloway added.