Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) suggested this week that ousted Democrat Rep. Katie Hill’s (D-CA) fate was rooted in sexism, proclaiming that “this doesn’t happen to male members in the same way.”
Hill announced her resignation early this week after a mountain of allegations of inappropriate sexual relationships with members of her congressional staff surfaced, including a “throuple” relationship with a female staffer. After photographic evidence surfaced online, Hill admitted to one of the relationships and announced her resignation in a video Monday, blaming “right-wing media and Republican opponents” for “enabling and perpetuating [her] husband’s abuse by providing him a platform.”
As her final act in Congress, Hill voted to pass the partisan impeachment inquiry resolution in the House “on behalf of the women of the United States of America.”
“And so today, as my last vote, I voted on impeachment proceedings. Not just because of corruption, obstruction of justice, or gross misconduct, but because of the deepest abuse of power, including the abuse of power over women,” Hill said on the House floor on Thursday.
“Today, as my final act, I voted to move forward with the impeachment of Donald Trump on behalf of the women of the United States of America,” she added.
Ocasio-Cortez came to Hill’s defense, asserting that the California lawmaker’s fate was rooted in sexism – something Hill alluded to in her speech on Thursday, citing “misogynistic culture.”
“This doesn’t happen to male members in the same way — revenge porn in this respect. It’s horrific,” Ocasio-Cortez said, according to Politico.
“I don’t think we’re really talking about how targeted and serious this is. We’re talking about a major crime… being committed against her,” she continued.
Despite the New York lawmaker’s assertion, men in Congress have also been driven to resign over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Last year, former Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) resigned after a woman with whom he had allegedly pursued an extramarital affair leaked explicit selfies that he had sent her. (Barton was already divorced by the time the scandal broke.)
If there is a double standard, it is on the Democratic side.
As the Palm Beach Postnoted on Thursday, Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) — who was impeached and removed from the federal judiciary in 1989 — has carried on an affair with an aide for years. He appears to be violating House rules — yet his party has never referred him to the House Ethics Committee, as it did with Hill.
Additionally, former Reps. Pat Meehan (R-PA), Trent Franks (R-AZ), David Wu (D-OR), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Eric Massa (D-NY), and Sen. Al Franken (D-NY) were driven to resign.
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