US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) bashed Politico for depicting presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with a money tree in its article "The Secret of Bernie’s Millions," which was published on Friday.
"Can politico explain to us how photoshopping money trees next to the only Jewish candidate for president and talking about how 'cheap' and rich he is *isn’t* antisemitic?" Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Saturday in a series of tweets where she defended Rep. Ilhan Omar, who has been accused repeatedly of antisemitism.
Can @politico explain to us how photoshopping money trees next to the only Jewish candidate for president and talking about how “cheap” and rich he is *isn’t* antisemitic?Or are they just letting this happen because he’s a progressive politician they don’t like? pic.twitter.com/O9qvDBw4ib— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 25, 2019
Politco's article, written by senior staff Michael Kruse, depicts Sanders with modest beginnings, owning a rusty Volkswagen Dasher. Shortly after, Kruse quotes a friend of Sanders who called him “a cheap son of a bitch.” The article tries to understand how a poor democratic socialist was able to become a three-home-owning millionaire. According to the report, Sanders now has a net worth of at least $2 million.
Ocasio-Cortez questioned why no one was calling out this article as antisemitism.
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"Are they just letting this happen because he’s a progressive politician they don’t like?" The freshman representative tweeted rhetorically. "Notice the people willing to explain this away, yet when Ilhan’s words are taken out of context, they are the 1st to jump on her."
Notice the people willing to explain this away, yet when Ilhan’s words are taken out of context, they are the 1st to jump on her.Look at how these accusations are selectively enforced on the left, esp when it’s the *alt-right* actually committing antisemitic violence in the US.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 25, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez then posted a link to a Vox article, with the headline, "Poway and Pittsburgh: the rise in murderous anti-Semitism, explained." This article largely attributes this new wave of antisemitism to those with links to the Republican Party.
Take time to learn about it: https://t.co/ebO3LYVo1S— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 25, 2019
Omar has widely been criticized for various comments, especially those criticizing Israel. In February, Omar tweeted “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” making a critique on AIPAC, which many thought was rooted in an antisemitic trope. Omar later apologized “unequivocally,” for this comment.Ocasio-Cortez was not alone in her cry against antisemitism. Bernie Sanders' Chief of Staff Ari Rabin-Havt said that Politico's tweet and picture contained antisemitic tropes.
Politico style book: “needed more context” = the previous tweet contained an anti Semitic trope.The current tweet contains a doctored photo of Bernie in front of a literal money tree and a house that is not his. Because that is better? https://t.co/T43RCVCoki pic.twitter.com/N8LfxgbiID— Ari Rabin-Havt (@AriRabinHavt) May 25, 2019
Politico did not apologize for the money tree, but did rephrase their original tweet to add more context.
Bernie Sanders has three homes and a net worth approaching at least $2 million.— POLITICO (@politico) May 25, 2019
In a strict, bottom-line sense, he has become one of those rich people against whom he has so unrelentingly railed.https://t.co/PawDq3S07m
