Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemns Gov. Abbott’s 'disgusting' rape and abortion comments

On Anderson Cooper 360 Tuesday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) ripped into Texas Governor Greg Abbott for comments he made at the signing of one of the strictest abortion bills in the country. The bill, which makes abortion illegal after roughly 6 weeks, contains no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. Abbott claimed that six weeks is enough time for a woman to terminate the pregnancy if she so chooses, and vowed to rid Texas of all rapists.

“Well, I find Governor Abbott’s comments disgusting, and I think there’s two-fold. One, I don’t know if he’s familiar with a menstruating person’s body. In fact, I do know that he’s not familiar with a woman — with a female or menstruating person’s body,” Ocasio-Cortez said, later adding, “I’m sorry we have to break it down — you know, break down biology 101 on national television, but in case no one has informed him before in his life, six weeks pregnant means two weeks late for your period.”

Ocasio-Cortez went on to point out the folly in Abbott’s assertion that he can eliminate rapists from the streets of Texas.

“The majority of people who are raped, and who are sexually assaulted, are assaulted by someone that they know. These aren’t just predators that are walking around the streets at night. They are people’s uncles, they are teachers, they are family friends,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And when something like that happens, it takes a very long time, first of all, for any victim to come forward. And second of all, when a victim comes forward, they don't necessarily want to bring their case into the carceral system. They don't want to re-traumatize themselves when they go to court.”

Video Transcript

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: Well, I find Governor Abbott's comments disgusting. And I think there's twofold. One, I don't know if he is familiar with a menstruating person's body. In fact, I do know that he's not familiar.

KYLIE MAR: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on "Anderson Cooper 360" Tuesday, where she responded to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who signed one of the nation's strictest abortion bills into law earlier in the day. When asked about the bill's lack of exceptions for victims of rape or incest, Abbott had this to say.

GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT: It provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion. Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them.

KYLIE MAR: Ocasio-Cortez first addressed Abbott's assertion that six weeks is enough time for a woman to know she's pregnant.

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: I'm sorry we have to break it down on-- you know, break down biology 101 on national television, but in case no one has informed him before in our life-- in his life, six weeks pregnant means two weeks late for your period. So you don't have six weeks. That's first things first.

KYLIE MAR: Ocasio-Cortez also pointed out the folly in Abbott's claim that he'll rid the streets of Texas of all rapists.

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: The majority of people who are raped and who are sexually assaulted are assaulted by someone that they know. And these aren't just predators that are walking around the streets at night. They are people's uncles. They are teachers. They are family friends.

KYLIE MAR: And Ocasio-Cortez had some harsh words for Abbott.

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: It's awful. And he speaks from such a place of deep ignorance that-- and it's not just ignorance. It's ignorance that is hurting people across this country.