Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has spoken out after video emerged appearing to show House Republican Lauren Boebert engaging in what the New York congresswoman described as “sexually lewd acts” in a Colorado theater on September 10.

Boebert and a male companion were thrown out of the Buell Theatre in Denver after repeatedly vaping, using a cell phone and “causing a disturbance” during a performance of musical Beetlejuice.

Surveillance footage from inside the theater appeared to show Boebert’s male accomplice groping her breasts, and then being groped in turn by the Republican firebrand. In a statement, Boebert apologized for her behavior, which she claimed “fell short of my values,” but made no reference to the alleged sexual acts.

Ocasio-Cortez responded to the controversy in a one-minute video posted to her 323,000 TikTok followers on Thursday, in response to a viewer’s question.

She commented: "All I gotta say is I can’t go out to lunch in Florida in my free time, not doing anything, just eating outside and it’s wall-to-wall Fox News coverage and then you have a member of Congress engaging is sexually lewd acts in a public theater and they got nothing to say.”

“I danced to Phoenix once in college and it was like all over the place. But putting on a whole show of their own at Beetlejuice and there’s nothing? I’m just saying be consistent. That’s all I’m asking for. Equal treatment. I don’t expect it, but come on.”

  • Boddhisatva@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Do they really have to say alleged sex acts? I mean, there’s video. Are they suggesting that maybe the groping and fondling wasn’t sexual in nature?

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You’re right, the uh “activity” was definitely getting her boobs groped and flashed about- and giving a handy in return (both of which looked incredibly uncomfortable, just saying.)

      That said, what the video shows is a crime, and there’s fairly strict ways they can write about potential criminals which more or less mandate tacking on qualifiers- like “allegedly”, at least until they can tack on the “convicted” qualifier.

      • NumbersCanBeFun@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        You’re correct. As annoying as it is allegations are just that. Unlike the court of public opinion, you are innocent until proven guilty.

    • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      A journalistic org will always say alleged until someone is convicted, even if the crime is “obvious”

      • Koboldschadenfroh@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yes, but this was a minor offence and there will be no trial or conviction. So entirely different if you can call something alledged that has video evidence I don’t know. And I doubt someone went to the length of deepfaking that video. Although it IS surprising that someone with no ethics or concience like her didn’t claim that. Too many witnesses I guess.

    • 18-24-61-B-17-17-4@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Maybe she lost a popcorn down in her titties and he was helping get it out. And to thank him she… gave him an OTPHJ? I got nothin’.

    • Fedizen@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Thats a good point. She already apologized for getting caught as well. I think at this point its “verified exhibitionist sex acts”

    • JokeDeity@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      In America yes. Unless someone has literally been convicted of something in court, you’re better off just saying allegedly and not leaving yourself open to lawsuits.

      • stringere@reddthat.com
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        1 year ago

        I’m America, yes.

        So America is a false god? Or a farcical one at best?

        That checks out.