Sally Reed
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also referred to as “AOC”, reported got into a heated exchange on Wednesday during President Biden’s impeachment hearing. She claimed that “RICO is not a crime,” which did not take very long to spark a lot of negative comments and mixed reactions on social media.
AOC Wanted To Challenge GOP Narratives About Biden Family
Ocasio-Cortez focused on challenging the GOP narratives that currently surround the involvement of President Biden’s family regarding alleged criminal activities.
She directed a question at a former business associate of Hunter Biden named Tony Bobulinski. She asked him if he ever witnessed President Biden commit a criminal act.
Bobulinski Fired Back At AOC By Referencing Legal Statues, Including RICO
In response to Ocasio-Cortez’s question, Bobulinski referenced several legal statutes and corruption statutes. Specifically, he referenced RICO and the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
RICO is an acronym that represents the “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.”
Ocasio-Cortez Asked Bobulinski, ‘What Is The Crime, Sir?’
After Bobulinski listed off the various statutes, AOC responded by asking him, “What is the crime, sir, specifically?” Bobulinski responded by saying that Ocasio-Cortez asked him to answer the question.
According to Bobulinski, he “answered the question.” He then mocked Ocasio-Cortez by implying that she was “obviously not familiar with” RICO. He also referenced the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and “corruption statutes.”
Ocasio-Cortez Told Bobulinski That ‘RICO Is Not A Crime’
Ocasio-Cortez fired back at Bobulinski stating that “RICO is not a crime.” She further expressed that “it is a category” in a condescending tone.
Bobulinski pushed back, which started a contentious exchange between him and the progressive congresswoman.
Bobulinski Declared ‘It’s A Category Of Crime’ That Leads To Charges
Bobulinski declared to Ocasio-Cortez that RICO is “a category of crime that you are then charged with.” He then transitioned the tone of the conversation back to one of sarcasm with a condescending tone.
Bobulinski mentioned that within the committee room “there’s over 18 lawyers that went to law school.” He then indicated that he would “leave it up to you guys to define the statute.”
Ocasio-Cortez Reclaimed Her Time, Referenced ’15-Month Saga’
AOC then went on record to “reclaim” her time and shifted the conversation back towards the focus on the hearing. She criticized the impeachment inquiry into President Biden as an effort to continue the discrediting of the Biden administration by the Republican party.
Ocasio-Cortez stated that “what we are seeing here today is the continuation of the 15-month saga of the Republican majority lost in the desert.” She expressed that the probe resolution “does not outline a high crime or misdemeanor.”
Senator Ted Cruz Described Ocasio-Cortez’s Remarks As ‘Bizarre’
Senator Ted Cruz posted on X/Twitter that the comments were “bizarre.” He explained that the RICO Act “is most assuredly a crime.” Cruz even used the legal terminology and naming convention to reference the actual statute involved.
Cruz further explained that the RICO Act “often results in massive felony sentences.” He then stated that Ocasio-Cortez insisted that it was not a crime as a clear sign that she was “eager to defend Joe Biden.”
Representative Wesley Hunt Claimed That AOC Was ‘Broken’ In Biden Hearing
Representative Wesley Hunt indicated in his response that AOC was “broken” in the Hunter Biden hearing. He went on to say that she was “so broken in fact” that she claimed RICO was not a crime.
He then shifted to a condescending tone as well, commenting that they should “empty the jails.” He added that “all the defendants in the Georgia case brought by Fani Willis falls under RICO” as well.
Lou Dobbs Seemed to Defend Ocasio-Cortez, Until He Mocked Her
American commentator Lou Dobbs apparently came to AOC’s defense regarding her remarks about the RICO Act. He posted on X/Twitter that she “probably got confused.”
It may have seemed that Dobbs was defending AOC. However, the second half of the message told a different story. Dobbs concluded his post by stating that “maybe she thought RICO was a person.”
White House Spokesperson States ‘It’s Obviously Time To Move On’
The White House and its allies have encouraged Congress to close the ongoing investigation. According to the White House, it should be dismissed as a partisan charade.
Ian Sams, the White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, opened up about it as well. He said that “it’s obviously time to move on.”
White House Spokesperson Claims ‘The House Should Be Focusing On Real Issues’
Sams continued by stating that “the House should be focusing on real issues that actually matter to the American people.”
The same post featured headlines of other news articles – such as one referencing Jason Galanis as a “convicted fraudster” that sought pardon from Donald Trump in 2020.
The Absence Of Key Witnesses Highlighted During Hearing
The absence of the several key witnesses was also highlighted during the hearing as well. For instance, the subject of a lot of scrutiny is Hunter Biden himself.
Hunter Biden declined the invitation to testify that was issued by the Republicans. Other former associates, including Devon Archer, declined the invitation as well. Multiple reports confirm that Jason Galanis testified remotely from prison as he is currently serving a fraud scheme-related prison sentence.
What Exactly Is RICO?
The RICO Act is a U.S. law that was first enacted in 1970. The law allows victims of organized crime to file lawsuits against those people that are responsible for punitive damages.
It was designed to strengthen the legal tools of evidence gathering by creating new penal prohibitions. In addition, it provided enhanced sanctions and added remedies that specifically dealt with the unlawful activities of those that were engaged in organized crime.
The RICO Act Was Passed By Congress For Eradication Of U.S. Organized Crime
One of the primary focal points of the RICO Act being passed by Congress was the declared purpose of eradicating organized crime throughout the United States.
The Act made it clear that it is not lawful for anyone associated with or employed by any enterprise that is engaged in interstate or foreign commerce to participate or conduct any business through “a pattern of racketeering activity or collection of unlawful debt.” When the action is brought before any continuity can be established, according to the Department of Justice, liability would depend on “whether the threat of continuity is demonstrated.”
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