Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticizes Tulsi Gabbard over impeachment vote: 'We are sent here to lead'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn't agree with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's choice to vote "present" in the impeachment of President Trump.

Speaking to reporters after the historic impeachment vote on Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez said the 2020 hopeful's choice to abstain from taking a stand is "quite difficult," the New York Post reported.

"Today was very consequential, and to not take a stand one way or another, on a day of such great consequence to this country, I think is quite difficult," Ocasio-Cortez said of the Democratic congresswoman. "We are sent here to lead."

In addition to voting "present," Gabbard did not speak on the House floor during the six-hour debate, according to the New York Post. Most other members of Congress gave short speeches to explain their votes.

Gabbard released a statement explaining that she "could not in good conscience vote either yes or no."

"I am standing in the center and have decided to vote Present. I could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing," she said. "I also could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country."