Ocasio-Cortez Under Fire for Giving Boyfriend Congressional Email Server Access
Political consultant Luke Thompson reveals discovery on Twitter
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Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come under fire after a political consultant revealed evidence that she allegedly gave her boyfriend access to the congressional email server.
Luke Thompson posted a screenshot that appears to show AOC's boyfriend Riley Roberts' own government email address, writing:
"@AOC decided to put her boyfriend on staff. Nice to see her adapting to the swamp so quickly"
The Congress newcomer quickly defended her actions on Twitter, insisting the access was only granted so he can look at her calendar.
Thompson tweeted a picture of Roberts' official House email address, which quickly went viral.
He posted on Twitter:
"While you were having a nice Valentine's Day, @AOC decided to put her boyfriend on staff - drawing a salary on the taxpayer's dime. Nice to see her adapting to the swamp so quickly."
While you were having a nice Valentine's Day, @AOC decided to put her boyfriend on staff - drawing a salary on the taxpayer's dime. Nice to see her adapting to the swamp so quickly. pic.twitter.com/bvncwzxY53
— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) February 15, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez responded to the tweet, writing:
"Actually this cal designation is a permission so he can have access to my Google Cal. Congressional spouses get Gcal access all the time.
"Next time check your facts before you tweet nonsense."
Actually this cal designation is a permission so he can have access to my Google Cal. Congressional spouses get Gcal access all the time.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 15, 2019
Next time check your facts before you tweet nonsense.
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According to the Daily Mail, her chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti also argued the move was normal for a spouse or partner.
He wrote: "He's not paid.
"We have no volunteers in the office.
"He's not doing any government work.
"He can see her calendar just like spouses/partners/family members in other congressional office.
"Spouses and partners normally get http://mail.house.gov e-mail addresses for the purpose of getting calendar access."
A spokesperson for the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, David O'Boyle, told Fox News:
"From time to time, at the request of members, spouses and partners are provided House email accounts for the purposes of viewing the member's calendar."
As news of her boyfriend's email was shared online Jason Chaffetz, former chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told Fox:
"It's totally naive and inappropriate – you wouldn't allow it in most companies, let alone the House of Representatives.
"There should be real consequences.
"When I was in the House, my scheduler would forward my wife my schedule once a week.
"But you're not allowed unfettered access.
"And he isn't even her spouse.
"It should be referred to the ethics committee for further investigation."
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It comes on the day Amazon hit-out at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her Democratic peers for creating an unjust hostile "environment" that led to the withdrawal of their New York headquarters plan.
The online retailer announced on Thursday that they were pulling the plug on their proposal to create a second headquarters in New York's Long-Island City.
Speaking out about the withdrawal on Friday, Amazon's head of policy communications, Jodi Seth, pointed blame at Ocasio-Cortez and her anti-Amazon rhetoric.
Seth said it wasn't "any one incident" but months of vitriolic political discourse - perpetuated by the likes of AOC - that ultimately resulted in the company's decision to look elsewhere for a new branch to its Seattle base.
