‘Refusing responsibility’: AOC rejects Ted Yoho apology for obscene comments
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Will her meteoric rise fizzle? (Image via Getty)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 2
There was some divergence on what Yoho said Wednesday.

A Florida Congressman attempted on Wednesday to contextualize and mitigate fallout from an incident with a colleague, but his words didn’t resolve the situation.

U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, who represents Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, attempted to apologize on the House floor for the previous day’s “abrupt” conversation with New York’s Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

But the Congresswoman rejected those overtures in a tweet saying that Yoho’s words weren’t even an apology.

“Republican responds to calling a colleague “disgusting” & a “f—ing b*tch” w/ “I cannot apologize for my passion” and blaming others. I will not teach my nieces and young people watching that this an apology, and what they should learn to accept. Yoho is refusing responsibility.”

The disconnect on the apology continues a narrative in which the two can’t even agree on what was said. Some said he called AOC a “f***ing b**ch.” Yoho said he thought her ideology was “bull sh*t.”

“It was the word BS. I said it’s a bunch of BS about her policies,” Yoho told News4Jax.

Whatever the case, an emotional Yoho attempted, one could argue, to clean up the “strife” he “injected into an already contentious congress.” However, his comments offered as much self-justification for his “passion” as conciliation for anything he said.

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

“It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America,” Yoho said, “but that does not mean we should be disrespectful.”

“I will commit to each of you that I will conduct myself from a place of passion and understanding that policy and political disagreement be vigorously debated,” Yoho said, adding that he “cannot apologize for my passion, or loving my God, or my family.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer compelled his apology. The veteran Maryland Democrat told reporters Yoho’s comments were “despicable and unacceptable” the day before.

 

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


8 comments

  • Sonja Fitch

    July 22, 2020 at 10:40 am

    What a lousy excuse for a pathetic old white man you are YOHO!

  • S.B. Anthony

    July 22, 2020 at 11:54 am

    A non-apology from a lying old white misogynistic loser who is part of a dying breed,
    clinging desperately to power. Little weenie syndrome. PATHETIC!

  • jon

    July 22, 2020 at 3:05 pm

    Who cares? She is a one term, one brain cell moron…. bye dummy!

  • Frankie M.

    July 22, 2020 at 3:33 pm

    Someone should run to the right against Yahoo. Call him a pink commie sympathizer for his non apology apology. That would be fun!

  • Basic Journalism

    July 22, 2020 at 4:24 pm

    The writer mentioned that Democratic Leader Hoyer “compelled” Yoho’s apology, but then didn’t include Leader Hoyer’s response to his apology – instead focusing on his previous condemnation.

    Here is the quote: “The apology was appropriate,” House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said afterward. “Let us treat one another with the respect and dignity each of us deserves, not only as a member of this body but as a human being.”

    Short-time reader of FloridaPolitics.com and I’m not impressed. The Spano piece was even worse than this and the comments are disabled..

    • Shrek

      July 26, 2020 at 9:56 am

      He never apologized, he used his platform to snip at the Press. and call AOC a liar.
      I never needed to hear the conversation to know what he said was not appropriate. His bone of contention, the entire reason he jumped her was simply that he did not believe that a poverty-environment creates crime.
      He has a PHD for fuck sakes, seriously? That is common sense, he has no business in office and thankfully is leaving.
      It is clear to see why this country has so many problems with people like him in office who has no intention of serving the common man in any regard.

  • John Q Public

    July 23, 2020 at 10:09 am

    What the heck, he only echoed what most of America is thinking. #chuckAOC

Comments are closed.


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