AOC Responds to Miami Beach Photo Controversy: ‘Where’s DeSantis?’

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) attempted to shift the public conversation away from her controversial Miami Beach trip on Friday, suggesting that people instead focus on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who, she says, has gone “inexplicably missing.”

“Hasn’t Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?” the congresswoman wrote in response to a tweet from Team DeSantis welcoming her to Florida after National Review published photos of her seated outside Doraku Sushi and Izakaya in Miami Beach Thursday afternoon, raising a cocktail in one and checking her phone in another.

“If he’s around, I would be happy to say hello,” she added. “His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks. In the meantime, perhaps I could help with local organizing. Folks are quite receptive here :)”

She continued: “I’d also be happy to share some notes from @GovKathyHochul’s work in NY since he seems to be in need of tips!”

DeSantis’s spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, told Fox News the governor was accompanying his wife, Casey, to cancer treatment on Wednesday, when critics began accusing him of dodging his responsibilities. DeSantis announced in October that Casey had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Pushaw also tweeted out a picture of the governor’s public schedule in response to criticism from MSNBC host Joy Reid.

The progressive “Squad” member’s Florida outing came as New York City reported a record number of new confirmed cases of Covid-19 (almost 44,000). Ocasio-Cortez represents New York’s 14th congressional district, which covers parts of the Bronx and Queens.

Back in February, when Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) drew fire for taking a trip to Cancun, Mexico, during a winter disaster in Texas that left millions without power or water, Ocasio-Cortez joined the pile-on.