Rep. Ted Yoho was removed by a Christian charity board on Saturday after his profane comments towards Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
What We Know:
- The nature of Yoho’s comments increased the fallout from the political controversy over sexism and harassment consuming over Washington in the past week. He was asked to resign on Friday and released a statement on Saturday saying his, “recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors”.
- The Christian charity, Bread for the World, released a statement in regard to the incident. They say their decision was based off “our commitment to coming alongside women and people of color, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world”. Although Yoho denies having said anything sexist, he still apologized for what was overheard by a Hill reporter.
- According to reports from The Hill, Yoho was overheard outside of Capitol Hill confronting Ocasio-Cortez saying she was “out of your freaking mind” and “disgusting” because she said poverty is not the root of crime. When she walked away, Yoho called her a “f—ing b—h”. Ocasio-Cortez did not accept Yoho’s public apology, alleging that he was making excuses for his behavior.
- The Guardian reported that Ocasio-Cortez was not going to do anything about the situation initially but after hearing Yoho’s apology, she decided she was not going to be silenced. She said in her speech, “This is not new, and that is the problem. The issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture … accepting of violence and violent language against women, and an entire structure of power that supports that.” Ocasio-Cortez was praised for her speech as a congresswoman who “excels at using her detractors to amplify her own political brand.”
After Ocasio-Cortez’s speech, other women in power such as Nancy Pelosi spoke up about their own experiences with sexism and harassment throughout their careers.
