Squad member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had a surprisingly cold reaction to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The New York Democrat argued that Americans “perceive and experience denied claims as an act of violence against them” as she spoke to CBS News about the reaction – and sometimes praise – for accused assassin Luigi Mangione.
“I think that this collective American experience that is so twisted in the richest nation in the world, all the pain that people have experienced is focused on that,” she told Jaala Brown on the steps of Congress.
“And it’s really important that we take a step back.”
“This is not intended to be a comment, nor am I suggesting that an act of violence is justified, but I think anyone who is confused, shocked or horrified needs to understand that people interpret, feel and experience rejected claims” as one Act of violence against her.
“People become homeless because a diagnosis that goes untreated is financially devastating or because they have to pay off the amount with a surprise bill and things like that.”
“When we talk in a passive way about how violent the systems are in this country, our privatized health care system is like that for a large number of Americans,” Ocasio-Cortez continued, noting that she didn’t even have health insurance until she was in elected the Congress.
Her comments came as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was forced to walk back her comments about the shooting.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued that Americans “perceive and experience denied claims as an act of violence against them” as she spoke to CBS News about the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
“Violence is never the answer, but people can only be pushed so far,” Warren said Tuesday night on MSNBC.
“This is a warning: If you push people hard enough, they will lose faith in their government's ability to make change, lose faith in the ability of the people who deliver health care to make change, and begin to struggle with the “Their own hands in a way that will ultimately pose a threat to everyone.”
Conservatives criticized Warren's comments on social media, and the Democrat announced a backlash on Wednesday.
“Violence is never the answer,” period,” she said, according to HuffPost. “I should have been much clearer that there is never any justification for murder.”
Among those who complained about Warren's language was a top aide to Republican Senator Mike Lee.
“This statement invents a nonexistent connection between the insane murderer and United Healthcare that did not pressure this rich kid to do anything, even accidentally,” Billy Gribbin, Lee's communications director, said on X. “He's crazy become and 'killed someone.'
National Review writer Charles CW Cooke devoted an entire column to Warren's formulation, noting that it's always the “but” that gets you.
“There is a word for this kind of argument in the vast English language.” That word is “justification,” Cooke continued.
Thompson, 50, was shot and killed Dec. 4 outside a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan
He was gunned down at close range by a gunman who fired several shots, hitting the CEO in the chest and calf
Thompson, 50, was shot at point-blank range outside a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4.
The gunman fired several shots during the ambush, jamming his weapon, but quickly managed to overcome the obstacle and continued firing, hitting the CEO in the chest and calf.
The bullet casings found at the scene were engraved with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” — an apparent reference to the health insurance industry’s systematic denial of claims.
Five days after the shooting, Mangione, 26, was located at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and taken into custody on firearms charges. He was also later charged with second-degree murder in Thompson's death.
Mangione was identified as a suspect after he was found at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday
He was said to have had a 3D-printed pistol and a black silencer loaded with a Glock magazine consisting of six 9mm full metal jacket bullets, which the NYPD said matched the bullets found at the scene of Thompson's murder became.
The suspect also reportedly had a manifesto outlining his grievances against UnitedHealthcare after suffering a serious back injury that required painful spinal surgery.
“To save you a lengthy investigation, I state clearly that I have not worked with anyone. This was pretty trivial: some basic social engineering, basic CAD, [and] “A lot of patience,” he allegedly wrote in the manifesto, according to the Daily Beast.
He went on to say he had “respect” for federal investigators and apologized for causing “trauma,” but appeared to defend his alleged actions.
“Frankly, these parasites had it coming,” the manifesto says.
It claimed that the United States had the “most expensive health care system in the world” but criticized the system for America ranking only 42nd in life expectancy.
Police now say they have “no evidence” that Mangione was ever a customer of the insurance company.
However, boss Joseph Kelly noted to NBC New York that the manifesto “mentions that it is the fifth largest company in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America.”
“That may be why he targeted the company,” Kelly suggested.
Mangione had a public outburst as he was led into court on Tuesday
Mangione appeared in court Tuesday to face gun charges in Pennsylvania, where he had a violent public meltdown hours earlier.
The suspect, who was wearing an orange jumpsuit, had to be restrained as he shouted at police as he made his way to court.
His attorney, Thomas Dickey, has since claimed that Mangione was just “upset” that he didn't have legal representation at the time.
Dickey has also said his client will plead not guilty to murder charges in New York and firearms charges in Pennsylvania – as he continues to fight extradition to the Big Apple.
Meanwhile, Mangione is due back in court on Dec. 30, when a judge will consider multiple habeas corpus petitions filed on the suspect's behalf and impose bail.
