AOC certainly made an idiot of herself but could this also get Trump off the hook?
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stirred a debate when she stated that Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) isn’t inherently a criminal charge, raising questions about its application in former President Donald Trump’s case in Georgia.
The House of Representatives initiated an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden in December, voting 221-212 along party lines. Republicans accused Biden of leveraging his position as vice president from 2009 to 2017 to benefit his son’s business dealings financially. Biden denied any involvement in his son Hunter’s affairs, dismissing the impeachment effort as baseless.
During a hearing related to Biden’s impeachment inquiry, Ocasio-Cortez confronted Tony Bobulinski, a former associate of the president’s son Hunter. She pressed him to specify any crimes he witnessed Biden commit. Bobulinski referenced RICO, citing corruption. Ocasio-Cortez countered that RICO is a legal category, not a standalone crime.
Ocasio-Cortez’s remark triggered a response on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where users highlighted Trump’s RICO charges in Georgia. Trump and 18 others faced indictment for allegedly attempting to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Trump, maintaining innocence, denounced the charges as politically motivated.
Critics, including political commentator Sara Gonzales and podcast host Matt Locke, rebuked Ocasio-Cortez’s statement, citing corruption as a crime and linking it to Trump’s RICO charges.
Despite the controversy, Ocasio-Cortez persisted in challenging the legitimacy of Biden’s impeachment inquiry. She argued that House Republicans failed to establish a “high crime,” a prerequisite for impeachment.
Meanwhile, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis oversaw the investigation into Trump’s case. However, the proceedings hit a roadblock due to allegations against Willis of a conflict of interest, delaying the case’s progress.
In summary, Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks on RICO sparked a broader discourse on legal terminology and its application in political contexts, highlighting ongoing legal battles and partisan divides in politics.
WATCH:
AOC – "RICO is not a crime."
Never forget 🤦♂️🤦♂️
pic.twitter.com/Kj3lRB1dWV— aka (@akafacehots) March 21, 2024