Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) blasted a pro-Israel group as an “extremist organization” Tuesday on social media.
Ocasio-Cortez responded to a post on X, formerly Twitter, by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) that took aim at her and the nine others who voted against a resolution that expressed support for Israel and condemned the militant group Hamas’s attack against the country earlier this month.
She ripped the organization for targeting lawmakers of color and suggested the group is a threat to democracy in the U.S.
“AIPAC endorsed scores of Jan 6th insurrectionists,” she wrote on X. “They are no friend to American democracy. They are one of the more racist and bigoted PACs in Congress as well, who disproportionately target members of color. They are an extremist organization that destabilizes US democracy.”
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AIPAC responded to the New York Democrat’s remarks on X, pushing back her claims that the organization targets people of color.
“More of the same tired lies & spin,” the group wrote. “@AOC and the Squad summed up: People who disagree with us are racist. AIPAC stands with pro-Israel Democrats and Republicans of all races, genders, and backgrounds who support the US-Israel alliance. And we oppose those who don’t, like you.”
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) echoed Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks on AIPAC, which also replied to Pocan’s criticism on X.
“Got to admit, this sums up how many feel about what @AIPAC really is about. Insurrectionists, WTF. No friend of democracy,” Pocan wrote on X in response to Ocasio-Cortez’s post.
“Got to admit, @MarkPocan is a hypocrite,” the organization responded. “Singling AIPAC out for doing the exact same thing PACs supporting him do. Surely, for the sake of consistency, he will condemn them too and return the six-figures he took from those PACs last cycle, right?”
The exchanges between AIPAC and the two House Democrats come just a day after Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) got in a heated back-and-forth with the group over its tweet criticizing the 10 lawmakers who voted against the Israel resolution last week.
“AIPAC always gets mad when I put America first,” he said in response to AIPAC’s tweet. “I won’t be voting for their $14+ billion shakedown of American taxpayers either. Let them know what you think by replying to their post. They are intentionally misrepresenting my intent and the resolution I voted against.”
House Republicans released a $14.3 billion aid package for Israel on Monday that includes cuts to funding for the IRS — a key detail that is already garnering opposition from Democrats and the White House.