(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s attempt to corner Tony Bobulinski during a congressional hearing fell flat, sparking widespread mockery on social media.
Bobulinski, a former business associate of Hunter Biden and a key witness in the impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden, testified before the House Oversight Committee during a high-profile hearing.
During the hearing, Cortez sought to grill Bobulinski on whether Joe Biden had committed any crimes in the shady business dealings of his son.
In response, Bobulinski alleged that the president may have violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and other corruption statutes.
Despite Bobulinski’s clarifications, Ocasio-Cortez persisted, questioning the nature of the crimes. Bobulinski, visibly confused, retorted, “RICO—you’re obviously not familar with—corruption statutes.”
In a seemingly frustrated tone, Ocasio-Cortez interjected, stating that RICO does constitute a crime. “Excuse me sir. Excuse me sir. Excuse me sir, RICO is not a crime—it is a cat-e-gory. What is the crime?” she questioned.
“Oh no you didn’t!
RICO is not a crime!”
😂😂😂
🤡🤡🤡
— Phil Holloway ✈️ (@PhilHollowayEsq) March 20, 2024
Bobulinski swiftly clarified, “It’s a category of crimes that you’re then charged.”
Unsatisfied with Bobulinski’s response, Ocasio-Cortez pressed further, saying, “You have charges—you have charges, please name.”
Bobulinski complied, interjecting, “the exact statute under RICO?” to which the congresswoman replied, “Yes!”
The exchange quickly gained momentum on social media, with many mocking Ocasio-Cortez’s apparent misunderstanding of what a RICO charge entails. Tellingly, RICO is indeed a crime, with former President Donald Trump currently facing RICO charges in Fulton County, Georgia.
Ocasio-Cortez’s lack of knowledge about RICO sparked a wave of ridicule on social media, with the satirical news site, the Babylon Bee, humorously chiming in: “AOC Says RICO Not a Crime, He’s the Guy Who Delivers Her Food.”
AOC Says RICO Not a Crime, He’s the Guy Who Delivers Her Food https://t.co/Tzwz9d4E57 pic.twitter.com/Z62pg7XeW9
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) March 20, 2024
Additionally, “Rico” in Spanish also means delicious or yummy, adding a layer of irony to the situation.
Some critics pointed out a 1990s hit called Rico Suave by Hispanic rapper Gerardo, further highlighting the cultural and humorous references.
Rico (suave) was definitely a crime. pic.twitter.com/ddLZFMCQNi
— Aaron Gwyn (@AmericanGwyn) March 21, 2024
https://t.co/30vHzuNXy3 pic.twitter.com/GNqzR990Lj
— Les White (@realLesWhite) March 20, 2024
Headline USA has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s press office for clarification on what she meant when she described RICO as “not a crime” but as a “cat-e-gory.”
