Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a news conference in Washington, DC., in November. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) responded Wednesday to Fox News host Tucker Carlson describing her district as "filled with garbage" by accusing the network of broadcasting "unmitigated racism" and calling him a "white supremacist sympathizer."
Driving the news: Carlson's show, "'Tucker Carlson Tonight," aired a segment Tuesday on garbage in the progressive Democrat's district in the borough of Queens, New York City. "How can we take seriously anything she says about the environment when this is her congressional district? She should be ashamed of this," he said.
(Reality check: Local government oversees sanitation issues in New York; it's not a federal matter, AP notes.)
- On Carlson's show, Seth Barron, an editor for City Journal, claimed without evidence that "part of the reason is because [Ocasio-Cortez's] district is actually one of the least American districts in the country," clarifying that he meant that a "very high percentage of her district is, in fact, illegal aliens."
What they're saying: Axios has contacted Fox News for comment. Barron apologized Wednesday via Twitter for his comments, saying he "chose the wrong words" to describe the trash issue.
"This crisis has led many people, including immigrants, to illegal basement dwellings, where landlords fail to collect trash, leaving residents in a tough position, ultimately putting their garbage on the streets."— A tweet by Barron
Go deeper: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mentioned 75 times per day on Fox News