AOC Fires Off Hot Take About CEO Murder: ‘People Experience Denied Claims As An Act Of Violence’

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) rationalized the public apathy toward the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and that the “pain” and “violence” people experience in the current healthcare system is being “concentrated on” the event.

Since Thompson was gunned down last week morning in a shocking attack in Manhattan, a striking wave of public outrage directed at the privatized healthcare industry has emerged, with some even going so far as to celebrate his death or idolize the killer, Luigi Mangione.

The Democrat was speaking with CBS News journalist Jaala Brown on Thursday about the issue when she addressed the public reaction.

I think that this collective American experience [of healthcare], which is so twisted to have in the wealthiest nation in the world, all of that pain that people have experienced is being concentrated on this event. And it’s really important that we take a step back.

This is not to comment and this is not to say that an act of violence is justified, but I think for anyone who is confused or shocked or appalled, they need to understand that people interpret and feel and experience denied claims as an act of violence against them.

People go homeless over the financial devastation of a diagnosis that doesn’t get addressed or the amount that they’re gonna have to cover with a surprise bill and things like that. And when we kind of talk about how systems are violent in this country, in this passive way, our privatized healthcare system is like that for a huge amount of Americans.

I did not have health insurance until I got elected to Congress. I was running. When I first ran for Congress, I had to sit in a free clinic.

Watch above via CBS News.