Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

AOC Blasts GOP Rep. For Calling Black Female Lawyer 'Boo' And 'Young Lady' During House Hearing

AOC Blasts GOP Rep. For Calling Black Female Lawyer 'Boo' And 'Young Lady' During House Hearing
@RepClayHiggins/Twitter; @Acyn/Twitter

New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez admonished Louisiana Republican Representative Clay Higgins after he referred to environmental lawyer and clean energy advocate Raya Salter as “young lady” and “boo" at various points during a House Oversight Hearing.

The hearing—titled “Fueling the Climate Crisis: Examining Big Oil’s Prices, Profits, and Pledges"—included valuable testimony from Salter. As a member of the New York State Climate Action Council and the executive director of Energy Justice Law and Policy Center, Salter elevated the concerns of working-class communities, Indigenous communities and other marginalized communities most likely to suffer the adverse effects of pollution and climate change.


After claiming Salter delivered "the most outlandish testimony I’ve witnessed yet in six years in this oversight committee," Higgins needled her over her call to shut down petrochemical plants and to make changes to the aviation industry, telling her she had "no answer, do you, young lady, about what to do with petrochemical products?”

At another point—after the two talked over each other—Higgins told Salter, “I’m trying to give you the floor, boo" before continuing to attack her.

Higgins later posted footage of the exchange to his official Twitter account—referring to Salter as "an unhinged environmental activist"—which you can see below.




Higgins' behavior—called condescending, racist, abusive and misogynist in the comments on his tweet—prompted Ocasio-Cortez to issue a harsh rebuke during the same hearing.

You can hear what she said in the video below.

Ocasio-Cortez said:

"In the four years that I’ve sat on this committee, I have never seen members of Congress, Republican, or Democrat, disrespect a witness the way that I have seen them disrespect you [Salter] today."
"I do not care what party they are in. Never seen anything like that.”
"And for the gentleman of Louisiana, and the comfort that he felt yelling at you like that? There's more than one way to get a point across."
"And frankly, men who treat women like that in public, I fear how they treat them in private. We can be better than this. We don’t have to resort to yelling.”

Ocasio-Cortez then took it upon herself to apologize to Salter on behalf of the rest of the House Oversight Committee.

To that, an undeterred Salter replied:

"Thank you, ma’am. I want to thank you, and you’ve provided so much leadership and courage. They can come for me all day long.”

Many have praised Ocasio-Cortez for speaking out while criticizing Higgins and Republicans at large.


Ocasio-Cortez has previously spoken about the sexism she faces as a member of Congress.

She made national headlines in July 2020 after she took to the House floor to enter into the Congressional record a sexist vulgarity said to her by Florida Republican Representative Ted Yoho, who later denied saying the slur after she observed incidents like the one she described "happen every day," even "on the steps of our nation's Capitol."

Last year, she criticized West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin after he failed to use her official title and referred to her as a "young lady" in an interview, openly questioning why "this kind of weird, patronizing behavior is so accepted."

Earlier this summer, she admitted she was tempted to "deck" known right-wing troll Alex Stein after he publicly sexually harassed her—referring to her at one point as "my favorite big booty Latina"—on the steps of the United States Capitol.

More from People/alexandria-ocasio-cortez

Barack Obama
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Obama Offers Iconic Reaction After He Accidentally Photobombed A Family's Photos In DC

If you try to take nice pictures in a scenic location, there will likely be people wandering through the background of your photos, because everyone else will also be enjoying the scenery.

In most cases, people try to time the shots between passersby or edit them out afterwards, but after a photoshoot in Washington D.C., one family will definitely not be editing out the accidental guest walking among the cherry blossoms and the Washington Monument.

Keep ReadingShow less
children sitting on floor in classroom
CDC on Unsplash

Historical 'Facts' People Learned In School That Are Actually Not True

The phrase "history is written by the victors" is a common saying. It's often attributed to Winston Churchill, although there's no proof he said those exact words.

It points out that those who win conflicts shape how those events are remembered, recorded, and taught to future generations, leading to biased historical accounts and warped perceptions.

Keep ReadingShow less

Modern 'Conveniences' That Actually Make Life Harder

Making life simpler...

That is always the goal, right?

Keep ReadingShow less
Person holding cigarette
Luiz Rogério Nunes/Unsplash

One Night Stands That Turned Into A Total Nightmare

Ahh, the trials and tribulations of dating life.

On the one hand, it could be exciting and very promising. On the other hand, it could be a total disaster.

Keep ReadingShow less
Person's eyes glowing in the sunlight
Photo by Marina Vitale on Unsplash

People Who Clinically Died And Came Back To Life Share Their Experiences

We've all heard the questions about what happens when we die, whether there is life after death, and whether we really will walk through a tunnel of white light or not to get there.

But people who have had a near-death experience, in that they were declared clinically dead and were then resuscitated, might have the answers we're looking for, and their answers are quite peaceful.

Keep ReadingShow less