Donald Trump Jr. threw the first punch but congresswoman elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may be in some trouble with the House Ethics Committee for how she responded on Twitter.
The exchange went like this.
I have noticed that Junior here has a habit of posting nonsense about me whenever the Mueller investigation heats up.
Please, keep it coming Jr – it’s definitely a “very, very large brain” idea to troll a member of a body that will have subpoena power in a month.
Have fun! https://t.co/oQ6MsdJYCk
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 7, 2018
Then people started pointing out, she may have violated House Ethics rules, which Donald Trump Jr. then began retweeting.
Are you threatening to use your power as a federal official to subpoena anyone who mocks or otherwise disagrees with you on the Internet? https://t.co/6Ymzqb2Y6Y
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 7, 2018
It's worth noting that the official House Ethics Manual explicitly prohibits the kind of threat that @Ocasio2018 just issued against @DonaldJTrumpJr for his refusal to support her political agenda. https://t.co/rJ83EeZXGY
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 7, 2018
The House prohibition on the very kind of threat that @Ocasio2018 just made to @DonaldTrumpJr couldn't be clearer: lawmakers are "prohibited from threatening punitive action" against people/groups for not politically supporting the lawmaker. Ethics Committee should investigate. pic.twitter.com/NNIPp1vsyv
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 7, 2018
I just want to be clear:
Did a member-elect of Congress just threaten a private citizen with a subpoena over a meme?
There is no way in hell that this can be legal.
Is @Ocasio2018 emotionally stable enough for Congress? https://t.co/np59DrTgq2
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) December 7, 2018
This is a member elect who appears to be threatening Trump Jr for trolling her https://t.co/qVuesSUnjH
— Eliza Collins (@elizacollins1) December 7, 2018
Now, she’s changing her tune.
Wow! A Republican journalist calling me the B-word as he deliberately misinterprets my statement.
Awesome job. How many female leaders have you covered in your career? I’m sure your coverage was very fair and not subconsciously biased at all. https://t.co/FZOsVY92EP
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 7, 2018
For the GOP crying that this is a “threat” – I don’t have power to subpoena anybody.
Congress as a body, GOP included, has the power. No indiv. member can issue a subpoena unless they are a Chair (which, as a freshman, I can assure you I will not be). Also must be under purview.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 7, 2018