Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has found common cause with her vanquished nemesis, former Rep. Joe Crowley, on behalf of TikTok.
The social media company is facing a bipartisan chorus of criticism over allegations the app could be used by China to spy on Americans. It is already banned on federal government devices.
Squad leader AOC came out against a ban on the embattled social network earlier this week, noting that “the United States has never before banned a social media company from existence, from operating in our borders, and this is an app that has over 150 million Americans on it.”
Crowley, the former Queens party boss and former chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, was defeated by AOC, a socialist, in a giant Democratic primary upset in 2018. He has been quietly lobbying his former DC colleagues on behalf of TikTok.
TikTok is under fire as politicians worry it could be used by China to spy on Americans.
Crowley has held numerous closed-door meetings with lawmakers, two congressional aides told The Washington Post. Since leaving Congress, Crowley has become a notable lobbyist around town, most recently for the China-tied law firm, Dentons.
“I hadn’t seen him around this week but he’s been seen around since we were sworn in in January. He did not reach out to me about this (I don’t take meetings with lobbyists),” AOC told The Post.
In addition to AOC, fellow squad members Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-Bronx) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) have also come out against a TikTok ban.
Former Rep. Joe Crowley — who AOC bested in an upset 2018 primary — has been lobbying for Twitter.
Crowley did not respond to a request for comment.
* Article From: The New York Post