During a town hall on CNN on Wednesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) responded to a question on her prior characterization of government shutdowns as hostage-taking and what she would say to Republicans who say Democrats are doing that right now by saying that “They need to pick up the phone. And it’s not hostage-taking if they refuse to clock in,” and “it’s not hostage-taking as much as the fact is, they refuse to show up and do the job.”
Host Kaitlan Collins asked, “[Y]ou, before, have said a government shutdown is like hostage-taking when it comes to paychecks, because you came into office, actually, during a government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. So, what would you say to Republicans who say you’re doing the hostage-taking this time?”
Ocasio-Cortez responded, “Once again, pick up the phone. They need to pick up the phone. And it’s not hostage-taking if they refuse to clock in, right? We’re all clocked in. We’re all clocked in to do the job. They’re not even here. They’re not even here. And so, it’s not hostage-taking as much as the fact is, they refuse to show up and do the job.”
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