Rep. Ted Yoho Apologizes for Berating AOC, Offers Confounding Denial He Called Her a ‘F*cking B*tch’

Two days after he berated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on the steps of the Capitol, Rep. Ted Yoho apologized — while appearing to deny reports that he’d referred to her as a “fucking bitch.”

“I rise to apologize for the abrupt manner of the conversation I had with my colleague from New York,” Yoho said Wednesday on the House floor. “It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America. But that does not mean we should be disrespectful.”

The incident was witnessed and reported on by The Hill:

In a brief but heated exchange, which was overheard by a reporter, Yoho told Ocasio-Cortez she was “disgusting” for recently suggesting that poverty and unemployment are driving a spike in crime in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic.

“You are out of your freaking mind,” Yoho told her.

Ocasio-Cortez shot back, telling Yoho he was being “rude.”

The two then parted ways. Ocasio-Cortez headed into the building, while Yoho, joined by Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), began descending toward the House office buildings. A few steps down, Yoho offered a parting thought to no one in particular.

“Fucking bitch,” he said.

Yoho, in his remarks on Wednesday, seemed to deny that parting quote (maybe?).

“The offensive name-calling words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues,” Yoho said. “And if they were construed that way, I apologize for their misunderstanding.”

The congressman added that while he was sorry for being disrespectful, he “cannot apologize for my passion, or for loving my God, my family, and my country.”

Afterwards, majority leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said “the apology was appropriate,” and added “I know that our colleague, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, appreciates that apology.”

Watch above, via CSPAN.