Ocasio-Cortez Fires Back After Fox Business Host Asks How Many Black People She Has on Staff

By Aidan McLaughlinMar 2nd, 2019, 1:44 pm
 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back at Fox Business host Charles Payne after he asked how many black people she has on her staff.

The New York Democrat had defended her colleague, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and her claim black HUD staffer Lynne Patton was used as a “prop” by Republicans at Michael Cohen‘s hearing this week. Patton was invited by Republican Congressman Mark Meadows to prove President Donald Trump wasn’t racist.

“Total bravery from @RashidaTlaib as she reminds the nation that tokenism *is* racism,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter, linking to a video of Tlaib’s clash with Meadows.

“How many Black people are o [sic] your staff?” Payne replied to Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter.

“We have Black staff,” Ocasio-Cortez shot back. “We don’t parade them around to show the world how diverse our team is, and use that as some kind of evidence of the absence of racism. That’s what tokenism is.”

“Thanks for getting back,” Payne replied. “Its disappointing rhetoric to suggest people are paraded and belittle hiring of Black people as tokenism. Moreover, questioning their accomplishments is even more problematic. You get that.”

“BTW some of the Black folks on your staff my want to be visible,” he added.

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Aidan McLaughlin - Editor in Chief

Aidan McLaughlin is the Editor in Chief of Mediaite. Send tips via email: aidan@mediaite.com. Ask for Signal. Follow him on Twitter: @aidnmclaughlin