New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is reportedly in the running for a prominent position on the influential House Oversight Committee.
The radical leftist said Friday to POLITICO that there had been “conversations” about her being the vice-ranking member but that “nothing has been confirmed.”
If elected, Ocasio-Cortez would serve as ranking member Jamie Raskin’s (D-MD()’s top Democrat on the committee) right-hand woman and help chart the way for Democrats in response to Republican attempts to examine different elements of the Biden administration.
Due to Raskin’s cancer treatment, his deputy may be asked to take on additional duties, such as filling in for the ranking member at hearings in his absence. On the other hand, a Democratic aide stressed to POLITICO that any member might substitute for the ranking member.
Raskin said of Ocasio-Cortez, who is serving her third term in the House, that he has “the utmost appreciation for her abilities” and that he is confident the committee will make good use of Ocasio-Cortez and the other fantastic new members.
Democrats on the panel are reportedly going to gather on Monday to flesh out their plan for the next two years, according to party insiders who spoke to the news site. According to the article, the meeting might be used to solidify leadership roles. The article also mentioned that Ocasio-Cortez had worked with Raskin before as vice chairwoman of the oversight subcommittee on civil rights issues, where their “close relationship” “fueled some speculation among some Democrats” about a similar dynamic occurring now that Raskin has become the top minority party position on the full committee.
Next week will be filled with hearings that have already been set. Wednesday will see “Federal Pandemic Spending: A Prescription for Waste, Fraud, and Abuse,” one such event.
Representatives Ro Khanna (California), Katie Porter (California), Cori Bush (Missouri), and Dan Goldman (Illinois) are among the other Democrats who have been appointed to serve on the House Oversight Committee for the next Congress (NY).
James Comer, the Republican Party’s chairman, is in charge (R-KY). Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and Paul Gosar (AZ) were both appointed to committees this month despite being expelled from the House during brief moments of controversy during the last session of Congress; Rep. Lauren Boebert (MT) was also chosen (CO).
Comer told Axios that the oversight committee is “perhaps the fascinating committee in legislative history” because of the heated debates he expects to have with his Democratic colleagues in the coming years.
Ocasio-Cortez predicted to reporters on Friday that she would “have much fun on this committee.” With this “opportunity and platform,” she continued, “Democrats will be able to de-legitimize a lot of the falsehoods that they have been spreading.”fishers partners