Ocasio-Cortez slams super PAC for ad burning her likeness that aired during debate

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Thursday ripped a GOP super PAC ad that ran during Thursday night’s Democratic presidential primary debate, calling it “a love letter to the GOP’s white supremacist case.” 

“Republicans are running TV ads setting pictures of me on fire to convince people they aren’t racist. Life is weird!” Ocasio-Cortez wrote to her more than 5 million followers.

Republicans are running TV ads setting pictures of me on fire to convince people they aren’t racist.

Life is weird!

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 13, 2019

{mosads}“Know that this wasn’t an ad for young conservatives of color — that was the pretense. What you just watched was a love letter to the GOP’s white supremacist case,” Ocasio-Cortez added in a second tweet Thursday.

Know that this wasn’t an ad for young conservatives of color – that was the pretense.

What you just watched was a love letter to the GOP’s white supremacist case. https://t.co/zvp1EB02c5

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 13, 2019

The ad, which ran on a Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., was created by New Faces GOP, a political action committee run by Elizabeth Heng, who made an unsuccessful bid for Congress in California last year.

The 30-second spot opens with a photo of Ocasio-Cortez, with Heng narrating in the background:

“This is the face of socialism and ignorance. Does Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez know the horror of socialism?”

The picture of the New York lawmaker then burns to reveal images of skulls and skeletons.

“My father was minutes from death in Cambodia before a forced marriage saved his life. That’s socialism. Forced obedience. Starvation,” Heng goes on to say. “Mine is a face of freedom. My skin is not white. I’m not outrageous, racist or socialist. I’m a Republican.”

Heng responded to Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter.

“Are you really calling me a racist?” Heng asked. “I’m calling all Democrats out for supporting an evil ideology. Or are you just in Congress to hang out with celebrities and tweet out ridiculous ideas like the green new deal?”

Not Republicans. Me. Are you really calling me a racist @aoc? I’m calling all Democrats out for supporting an evil ideology. Or are you just in Congress to hang out with celebrities and tweet out ridiculous ideas like the green new deal? https://t.co/w985LYjIZd

— Elizabeth Heng (@ElizabethHeng) September 13, 2019

The ad prompted criticism from many who questioned ABC’s decision to broadcast it, with some pointing to ABC’s warning ahead of the debate for participants not to swear and others calling the decision to air the ad inappropriate.

So I’m to understand that @ABCNetwork aired the ad below—which burns a sitting congresswoman’s face—during the #DemocraticDebate but rejected @FFRF‘s ad with JFK saying “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute.” Really?https://t.co/EfMsKD7njr

— Andrew L. Seidel (@AndrewLSeidel) September 13, 2019

Candidates were warned not to swear during this debate, but an ad that clearly incites animosity and violence toward a sitting Congresswoman was apparently no issue. Media corporations are responsible for how they choose to profit, period. #DemDebate https://t.co/5M65jOpizs

— Rashad Robinson (@rashadrobinson) September 13, 2019

The ad ABC allowed to air was a profoundly inappropriate piece of propaganda.@ABCNetwork owes AOC a full and public apology. https://t.co/GxDyZORQMh

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) September 13, 2019

.@ABC needs to respond, apologize and change its policy. I’m disgusted. https://t.co/SIIUhE0OrM

— Heather C. McGhee (@hmcghee) September 13, 2019

ABC can go to hell. Running propaganda with a picture of @AOC being set on fire, with dead bodies & skulls in the background, was absolutely despicable. People need to be fired over this. It’s ridiculous & evil. ABC profited off of it, during the #DemDebate. Shame on ABC. Shame. pic.twitter.com/o7msRtQI3J

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) September 13, 2019

Updated at 8:19 a.m.