Ocasio-Cortez bashes Politico for 'antisemitic' illustration of Sanders

Ocasio-Cortez questioned why no one was calling out this article as antisemitism.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., January 19, 2019 (photo credit: CAITLIN OCHS/REUTERS)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) looks on during a march organised by the Women's March Alliance in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., January 19, 2019
(photo credit: CAITLIN OCHS/REUTERS)
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. 

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. 
"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."

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.  

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 did not apologize for the money tree, but did rephrase their original tweet to add more context.



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