Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded to criticism from White House counselor Kellyanne Conway about not tweeting about the bombings of Christian churches in Sri Lanka on Easter by claiming she was “away from tech.”
“I see officials who get a lot of airtime and ink like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, congresswoman, who tweets many times about the mosque and never once about the Christians being killed in Sri Lanka,” Conway told CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday during a conversation about President Donald Trump’s Charlottesville response.
“Hello Ms. Conway,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote via Twitter. “On Easter I was away from tech visiting my grandmother in Puerto Rico, which continues to suffer from the White House’s incompetent disaster response. Are you trying to imply that I am less Christian? What was the point of you bringing this up on national TV?”
Hello Ms. Conway,
On Easter I was away from tech visiting my grandmother in Puerto Rico, which continues to suffer from the White House’s incompetent disaster response.
Are you trying to imply that I am less Christian? What was the point of you bringing this up on national TV? https://t.co/TIypLf2CaB
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 28, 2019
However, while the New York congresswoman’s usually prolific tweeting habit did end on April 18 — presumably the day before she headed to Puerto Rico — and did not include any tweets on Easter Sunday, her account did include both a tweet and a retweet about the upcoming movie “Knock Down The House.” (RELATED: ‘We Don’t Talk Like That’: Ocasio-Cortez Accused Of Putting On Black ‘Accent’ At NAN Conference)
Before my primary, three women & I agreed to film our journey of trying to run for office without big money.
Now, #KnockDownTheHouse hits Netflix & select theaters next week, May 1st.
To find or host a local community screening, follow: @knockdownmoviepic.twitter.com/THpgkzzqdc
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 22, 2019
Further, Ocasio-Cortez presumably returned from her trip, or at least got access to tech, the night of April 24, four days before Conway’s comments.
Just got back from a few (mostly) unplugged days visiting my abuela in PR, and I see the President is tweeting about me.
Just another day at the office! ????
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 25, 2019
A Fox News story published Wednesday included several criticisms of the New York congresswoman for not acknowledging the bombings despite the fact that she tweeted several times about the attacks in New Zealand.
Twitter-obsessed @AOC posted 14 times about the terror attack on Muslims in New Zealand, but has posted nothing about the terror attack on Christians by Muslim extremists in Sri Lanka.
Very odd.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 23, 2019
The Daily Caller has reached out to AOC for comment on her access to tech during her trip and why she didn’t respond to the bombings in Sri Lanka after she returned until Conway’s remarks. She did call the massacre “horrifying” in two Sunday tweets.
You are using this as an excuse to stoke suspicion around my Christianity + faith life, @KellyannePolls.
The Sri Lanka massacre was horrifying. No one should be targeted for their religion.
If you’re so moved, let’s do more to welcome immigrants fleeing religious persecution.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 28, 2019
Meanwhile, GOP strategist Andrew Surabian was quick to spot the discrepancy: “Weird, because it looks like the day after the Sri Lanka attack occurred you had enough time & tech to send out a tweet promoting your upcoming @netflix documentary … But nothing for hundreds killed in Sri Lanka? Come up with a better lie next time.”
Weird, because it looks like the day after the Sri Lanka attack occurred you had enough time & tech to send out a tweet promoting your upcoming @netflix documentary…But nothing for hundreds killed in Sri Lanka?
Come up with a better lie next time.https://t.co/4Nnxz4FbCb https://t.co/8oLiYd5QOf
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) April 28, 2019