Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (L) and State Sen. Jessica Ramos
July 25, 2022 By Christian Murray
State Sen. Jessica Ramos took a shot at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday in a flurry of tweets accusing the congresswoman of being absent from the district.
The tweets were sparked by a medical student who took to Twitter to criticize the congresswoman for not meeting with health policy experts to discuss socialized medicine. The student said that an AOC staffer said: “We’re not doing healthcare right now.”
The congresswoman apologized in her response and said: “I’m really sorry to hear that this happened. It’s not representative of me nor my values” and said her DM’s were open.
But the obscure exchange prompted Ramos to weigh in.
“Maybe if you spent more time in your office and with your team you’d know what goes on. Just saying it would be nice if you breathed our air,” Ramos tweeted at AOC.
Maybe if you spent more time in your office and with your team you’d know what goes on. Just saying it would be nice if you breathed our air. So, as an employer, what happens with the staffer who said this?
— Jessica Ramos (@jessicaramos) July 24, 2022
Ramos, whose western Queens district overlaps with AOC’s, doubled down as many AOC followers questioned her accusation.
“Our district offices are on the same floor in the same building. She’s barely ever present in the community. It’s an indisputable fact.”
She then accused AOC of not meeting with local officials and said that she gave up texting her.
The accusations were similar in nature to what AOC targeted Joseph Crowley with when she defeated him in the 2018 primary.
But two local officials in Astoria both came to AOC’s defense and tweeted that AOC is accessible and helpful.
Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani disputed Ramos’ allegations.
“As a local elected official in @AOC’s district, this just isn’t true. I have met with her multiple times, she was a critical part of our @NYTWA victory, and she has been a partner at every level of politics. Astoria is all the better for having her represent us.”
As a local elected official in @AOC’s district, this just isn’t true.
I have met with her multiple times, she was a critical part of our @NYTWA victory, and she has been a partner at every level of politics.
Astoria is all the better for having her represent us. pic.twitter.com/xLXAU4APft
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) July 24, 2022
Meanwhile, Councilmember Tiffany Cabán also viewed AOC as responsive and accessible.
“I gotta be fair here. Real talk this hasn’t been my experience at all. From being able to communicate & work with my Congressperson directly to our teams working closely on policy, organizing and a lot more, me and my neighbors have benefited a lot from the mutual collaboration.”
I gotta be fair here. Real talk this hasn’t been my experience at all. From being able to communicate & work with my Congressperson directly to our teams working closely on policy, organizing and a lot more, me and my neighbors have benefited a lot from the mutual collaboration.
— Tiffany Cabán (@tiffany_caban) July 24, 2022
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