海角大神

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez鈥檚 outrage over聽a Republican lawmaker鈥檚 verbal assault聽broadened into an extraordinary moment on the House floor Thursday as she and other Democrats assailed a sexist culture of 鈥渁ccepting violence and violent language against women鈥� whose adherents include President Donald Trump.

A day after rejecting an offer of contrition from Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., for his language during this week鈥檚 Capitol steps confrontation, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and more than a dozen colleagues cast the incident as all-too-common behavior by men, including Mr. Trump and other Republicans.

鈥淭his issue is not about one incident. It is cultural,鈥� said Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., calling it a culture 鈥渙f accepting a violence and violent language against women, an entire structure of power that supports that.鈥�

The remarkable outpouring, with female lawmakers saying they鈥檇 routinely encountered such treatment, came in an election year in which polls show women leaning decisively against Mr. Trump, who has a history of mocking women.

鈥淚 personally have experienced a lifetime of insults, racism, and sexism,鈥� said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. 鈥淎nd believe me, this did not stop after being elected to public office.鈥�

Mr. Trump was captured in a 2005 tape boasting about physically abusing women, and his disparagement of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has included calling her 鈥渃razy.鈥� In an apparent reference to that tape, which drew attention during the 2016 presidential campaign, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said men accost women 鈥渨ith a sense of impunity鈥� every day, including when 鈥渋ndividuals who hold the highest office in this land admit, admit to hurting women.鈥�

She also recalled that last year, Mr. Trump said she and three colleagues on the 鈥渟quad鈥� of progressive Democratic women of color should 鈥済o back鈥� to their home countries 鈥� even though all but one were born in the United States and all are American citizens.

The lawmakers joining Ms. Ocasio-Cortez represented a wide range of the chamber鈥檚 Democrats, underscoring their unity over an issue that is at once core to the party and capable of energizing its voters.

On the establishment side was No. 2 House leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, a moderate 20-term veteran. His appearance, along with supportive words at a separate news conference by Ms. Pelosi were a noteworthy contrast to occasional clashes Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has had with party leaders.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is a freshman who has made her mark as one of Congress鈥� most insistent and outspoken progressives. Those speaking up included the three other 鈥渟quad鈥� members 鈥� Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

No Republicans spoke on the House floor. A Yoho spokesman emailed a statement in which the lawmaker said 鈥渘o one was accosted, bullied, or attacked鈥� during what he called a brief policy discussion.

Mr. Yoho, one of Congress鈥� most conservative lawmakers, said Ms. Ocasio-Cortez doesn鈥檛 have the 鈥渞ight to inflate, talk about my family, or give an account that did not happen for political gain. The fact still remains, I am not going to apologize for something I didn鈥檛 say.鈥�

In a separate appearance, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., defended Mr. Yoho, who will retire in January.

鈥淲hen someone apologizes they should be forgiven,鈥� Mr. McCarthy said. He added later, 鈥淚 just think in a new world, in a new age, we now determine whether we accept when someone says 鈥業鈥檓 sorry鈥� if it鈥檚 a good enough apology.鈥�

But Bread for the World, a nonpartisan 海角大神 group that combats hunger, suggested it was reconsidering Mr. Yoho鈥檚 continued membership on its board. Asked about his status, the organization said his recent behavior 鈥渄oes not reflect the values of respect and compassion that Jesus calls on us to exhibit.鈥� They said they have asked to speak to him 鈥渂efore we determine any further action.鈥�

Ms. Pelosi herself weighed in a separate news conference.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a manifestation of attitude in our society really. I can tell you that firsthand, they鈥檝e called me names for at least 20 years of leadership, 18 years of leadership,鈥� Ms. Pelosi said of Republicans.

Ms. Pelosi, who has five children, recounted that during a debate years ago on women鈥檚 reproductive health, GOP lawmakers 鈥渟aid, on the floor of the House, Nancy Pelosi think she knows more about having babies than the Pope.鈥�

In an encounter Monday witnessed by a reporter from The Hill, Mr. Yoho berated Ms. Ocasio-Cortez on the House steps for saying that some of the increased crime during the coronavirus pandemic could be traced to rising unemployment and poverty.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez described it on the House floor Thursday. She said Mr. Yoho put his finger in her face and called her disgusting, crazy, and dangerous.

She also told the House that in front of reporters he called her a derogatory slur.聽That matched The Hill鈥檚 version of what Mr. Yoho had said.

Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said Mr. Yoho鈥檚 references to his wife and daughters as he explained his actions during brief remarks Wednesday actually underscored the problem.

鈥淗aving a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man,鈥� she said. She added that a decent man apologizes 鈥渘ot to save face, not to win a vote. He apologizes, and genuinely, to repair and acknowledge the harm done, so that we can all move on.鈥�

Her voice trembled slightly as she said that her father, 鈥渢hankfully,鈥� was no longer alive to see Mr. Yoho鈥檚 treatment of her. But she said her mother saw it, 鈥淎nd I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter, and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.鈥�

Other Democrats recalled their own experiences, taunted House Republicans鈥� overwhelmingly white male membership, and warned that the numbers of women lawmakers will only grow. Eighty-eight House Democrats and 13 Republicans are women.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not going away,鈥� said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. 鈥淭here is going to be more power in the hands of women across this country.鈥�

This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽AP reporter Elana Schor contributed from New York.

Editor鈥檚 note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall聽for all our coronavirus coverage. It鈥檚 free.聽