Sometimes you simply have to stand back and admire the tenacity. Misguided as it may be. Far-left Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) opted into a fight with Harvard Law School graduate Ted Cruz regarding her declaration that “RICO is not a crime.”
AOC made that statement during the questioning of a witness in this week’s House impeachment hearing.
Ocasio-Cortez demanded that Tony Bobulinski, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, name crimes that he believes President Biden committed.
When he immediately did so, the New York Democrat tried to interrupt and talk over him. Then she became combative. But, unfortunately for her, she wasn’t intellectually armed for that battle.
“You asked me to answer the question. I answered the question. RICO, you’re obviously not familiar with. Corruption statutes. FARA,” Bobulinski said.
“RICO. Is not. A Crime,” AOC shot back animatedly. “It is a category.”
Tony Bobulinski brings the fire!
Poor little AOC cant take it. pic.twitter.com/0JRAT0iaD8
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) March 20, 2024
RELATED: AOC Claims ‘RICO Is Not A Crime’ During Wild Exchange
AOC Struggles With The Concept Of RICO
RICO, or the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, is indeed a federal law in the United States aimed at combating organized crime.
It allows for the prosecution of individuals involved in a criminal enterprise, including those who may not have directly committed the crime but played a role in the organization.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who was once on a shortlist of candidates for the Supreme Court under Donald Trump, called AOC’s argument “bizarre.”
He was being kind.
“RICO,” he added, “is most assuredly a crime.”
RELATED: Trump Calls On Ted Cruz To Argue Texas Supreme Court Election Lawsuit
She Dives Head First Into The Fight
Rather than pivot away from the matter, or even admit to having said something insane, AOC opted to engage in the fight with Cruz.
“Wrong!” she wrote on X. “RICO is a statute under which specific crimes may be considered – kidnapping, robbery, arson, etc.”
“You need to name the crimes in order to substantiate RICO,” AOC continued. “So… since you’re the expert, what RICO crimes and evidence does House GOP have? Since they don’t seem to know.”
Immediately Dragged
You can almost feel the pride coming off that post on X. No doubt AOC made her point about RICO, gave a triumphant tap of the mouse to post it, and likely re-laminated her economics degree from Boston University.
But the feeling probably didn’t last long. She was subsequently dragged on X for the comments.
Robert Barnes, a high-profile trial lawyer answered her question: “Predicate acts under RICO … by Biden crime family include wire fraud & money laundering.”
In federal law, predicate acts are themselves crimes which are components of a larger crime.
National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker replied to AOC, “Your arrogance is only superseded by your stupidity.”
“A bartender is trying to argue the law with a Harvard law graduate and a former Supreme Court clerk,” added Vince Langman. “X is hilarious.”
One has to wonder what it’s going to be like when Cruz himself responds.
Cruz has made arguments before the Supreme Court on several occasions, with most of the cases from when he served as Texas solicitor general. Trump was rumored to be considering him for the nation’s highest court.
AOC once had to argue about a tip left for her when she was a bartender and thinks RICO was a song by Gerardo from the ’90s.
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