Questioned by Fox News Digital, “Squad” member and leading Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York refused to answer whether she believes Democrats’ inflammatory rhetoric against Elon Musk has any connection to the violent attacks and vandalism against Tesla owners and dealers across the country.
Ocasio-Cortez also refused to answer whether she still owns a Tesla, citing “security reasons.”
Democrats have been critical of Musk for his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with some labeling him a “Nazi” and a “threat to democracy.”
The congresswoman has also been critical of the DOGE chief, saying in a March 1 X post, “this guy is a leech on the public.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., refused to answer whether she believes Democrats’ inflammatory rhetoric against Elon Musk is linked to the violent attacks and vandalism against Tesla owners and dealers across the country. (Stefani Reynolds/CNP/Abacapress.com Getty Images)
“No matter how many billions he gets in tax cuts and government contracts, it will never be enough for him. Now he’s going after the elderly, the disabled, and orphaned children so he can pocket it in tax cuts for himself. It’s disgusting,” she wrote.
During her “fight oligarchy” rally tour with Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., Cortez claimed “an extreme concentration of power and corruption is taking over this country like never before.”
Fox News Digital asked Cortez whether she sees a connection between language against Musk and the violent incidents across the nation.
Cortez began to answer, saying, “Yeah, I mean, again, I’ve seen Republicans call me communist and that I hate this country,” before trailing off.
NUMBER OF TESLA ATTACKS SOARS PAST 50 AS VIOLENCE TARGETING MUSK’S COMPANY ESCALATES
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks onstage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Pressed whether she still owns the Tesla Model 3 she bought in 2020, Cortez declined to answer, saying, “Um, for security reasons, I’m not commenting.”
After weeks of Democrats condemning Musk for his role at DOGE, there have been at least 80 acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and at least 10 incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and properties.
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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department is treating the incidents as “domestic terrorism.”
On March 20, the Justice Department charged three people with domestic terrorism after they allegedly used Molotov cocktails to attack Tesla properties around the country.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” Bondi said. “Let this be a warning: If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
Five Tesla vehicles were set on fire and shot at in what police are investigating as a “targeted attack” at a repair center in Las Vegas March 18. (Hal Sparks via Storyful)
All three face charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison, the department said.
Despite this, few Democrats have spoken out against the vandals, and key leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declined to comment on the issue.
Though she would not comment on the acts of terror against Tesla owners and workers, Ocasio-Cortez, considered one of the country’s leading Democratic voices, has previously accused her Republican opponents of engaging in “stochastic terrorism,” using inflammatory language to incite violent action, by criticizing her, which she said prompted her to hire security.
Speaking on CNN in 2023, she said, “It’s uncomfortable serving with people who engage in what many experts deem stochastic terrorism, which is the incitement of violence using digital means and large platforms so that individuals themselves may not be the one that’s wielding a weapon.
Protesters boo a Tesla Cybertruck in Brooklyn at a Tesla Takedown protest. (Fox News Digital)
“I’ve consistently had to ride in 20,000-pound armored vehicles, engaging in some of the most gruesome threats that you can imagine that were incited by Republican members,” she said. “This is not just about a tweet. It’s about what life looks like and the marshaling of hundreds, thousands, if not millions of people into doing something.”
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During the same interview, she also accused President Donald Trump of being aware his rhetoric stokes violence, saying, “He uses and used his rallies very strategically in order to engage in political intimidation that he deems his political enemies.”
Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.