Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a television interview on Capitol Hill. Photo / AP
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a television interview on Capitol Hill. Photo / AP
US Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said the Republican extremist Marjorie Taylor Greene is "deeply unwell" after their confrontation in the halls of Congress.
The incident happened earlier this week as both women left the US House of Representatives. Greene followed Ocasio-Cortez, yelling at her and accusing her of supporting "terrorists". The Democrat did not stop to talk to her.
Previously unseen footage involving the pair from February 22, 2019, before Greene became a member of Congress, has now resurfaced
Greene, the then-private citizen (and conspiracy theorist) was visiting the Capitol to deliver a petition to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, calling for her to be impeached for "crimes of treason".
"It's a crime punishable by death, is what treason is. Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason," Greene said in a video posted on Facebook at the time. She had previously expressed support for executing prominent Democrats.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a television interview on Capitol Hill. Photo / AP
On that day, Greene and a small group of like-minded activists also visited the offices of other politicians – including Ocasio-Cortez.
"We're going to visit Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Crazy eyes. Crazy eyes. Nutty. Cortez," Greene tells the camera in the footage published by CNN today.
Her group finds the Congresswoman's office door locked, and proceeds to taunt Ocasio-Cortez and her staff through a mail flap.
"I'm an American citizen, I pay your salary through the taxes that you collect (from) me through the IRS because I'm a taxpaying citizen of the United States," Greene says.
"So you need to stop being a baby and stop locking your door and come out and face the American citizens that you serve.
"If you want to be a big girl, you need to get rid of your diaper and come out and be able to talk to the American citizens. Instead of having to use a flap, a little flap. Sad."
At another point in the footage, one of Greene's male companions kneels down to speak through the flap.
"Hello there. Where's AOC? I hear you in there," he says.
"It's hide and seek," Greene remarks.
"Huh?" he asks.
"It's hide and seek!" she repeats.
"It's hide and seek. Tag, you're it!" he says through the flap.
"Guess what? You can't stay in there forever. Can you come out and play?"
"Bye. Bye. Bye AOC, Ocasio-Cortez. Bye bye, baby. Bye bye, baby. Bye bye, little baby girl," Greene says by way of farewell.
"Ocasio-Cortez, she went and hid. She couldn't take it."
New: A since-deleted video from 2019 shows MTG harassing @AOC's office through a locked door. Calling her "crazy eyes" and telling her through the office's mailbox slot to "get rid of your diaper" while telling the office to open the door and come out. https://t.co/QgcJucs4o8pic.twitter.com/ccTufF90Z9
"I think that this is an assessment that needs to be made by the proper professionals."
Greene has spent recent months repeatedly demanding Ocasio-Cortez debate her on the Green New Deal, a suite of climate change policies the left-wing Democrat supports. In April, she approached Ocasio-Cortez on the floor of the House to discuss it.
A reporter asked Ocasio-Cortez about the debate demand.
"She does keep discussing this, but it's not a thing. So I'm concerned about her perceptions of reality," she replied.
Asked whether she'd had any conversations with Greene beyond yesterday's altercation and their earlier meeting in the House, Ocasio-Cortez said no.
"This has just kind of come from nowhere," she said.
She also hit out at Greene on Twitter, noting that one of her companions from 2019 took part in the attack on the Capitol on January 6.
And now it’s revealed that this person showed up to members of Congress’ doors with folks from the mob who infiltrated the Capitol, beat Capitol Police, and strung up nooses in front of the House.
If the shoe were on the other foot, the GOP would be calling for my expulsion. https://t.co/ccN01sjbBk
Greene, for her part, spoke briefly to reporters outside the House chamber after Wednesday's altercation.
"She's a chicken, she doesn't want to debate the Green New Deal," she said of Ocasio-Cortez.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Marjorie Taylor Greene:
“This is a woman that’s deeply unwell and clearly needs some help. … At this point, I think, the depth of that un-wellness has raised concerns for other members. … I’m concerned about her perceptions of reality." pic.twitter.com/hNDYuWj6Di
"When Ocasio-Cortez did not stop walking, Greene picked up her pace and began shouting at her and asking why she supports antifa, loosely knit group of far-left activists, and Black Lives Matter, falsely labelling them 'terrorist' groups," The Post reported.
"Greene also shouted that Ocasio-Cortez was failing to defend her 'radical socialist' beliefs by declining to publicly debate the freshman from Georgia."
"You don't care about the American people," yelled Greene.
"Why do you support terrorists and antifa?"
At one point, Ocasio Cortez turned and threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, but she did not stop to speak to Greene.
Marjorie Taylor Greene during a news conference. Photo / AP
One of the reporters, Jacqueline Alemany, later said she was "so taken aback and surprised" by Greene's behaviour she didn't even have the presence of mind to record it.
