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

See Full Page