Since immediately after her election last summer, Fox News has frequently targeted freshman Democratic Congresswoman of New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with misinformation about her platforms and taunts about everything from her heritage to her qualifications.
The network continued the effort when far-right Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham and her guest, lawyer Joe diGenova, mocked Ocasio-Cortez's pronunciation of her last name.
Watch below:
Ingraham guest Joe Digenova says @AOC "does the Latino thing" when she talks. https://t.co/sa1LLExkBA— Jason Campbell (@Jason Campbell) 1553050778.0
Ingraham said:
"You've noticed that when she introduces herself, she takes on that Obama, y'know, Obama put on accents."
"She does the Latina thing where she does her, you know, ’Anastasio Ocasio-Cortez,'” diGenova mocked.
A proud Puerto Rican representing a mostly Latin and African-American district, Ocasio-Cortez pronounces her name correctly, which she pointed out to Ingraham in a series of tweets responding to the segment.
If by ‘the Latina thing,’ she means I actually do the work instead of just talk about it, then yeah, I’m doing ‘the… https://t.co/Hv0gHLDGQi— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553127572.0
Siri, show me the brand of ‘economic anxiety’ that mocks Americans of color as unintelligent + unskilled, while *al… https://t.co/pzxbkkCQj9— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553127793.0
“How dare they refuse to say their name in a wrong accent & not mangle their own family name so that I can feel mor… https://t.co/F0zLcyaYA7— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553128844.0
The Congresswoman then began elaborating on her name and the culture it reflects.
By the way: Fox News likes to say my name (incorrectly) as “Cortez,” which I can only imagine is bc that sounds mor… https://t.co/i8aNvh6V29— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553129467.0
For the curious, in Latinx culture children take *both* their parents‘ names. It’s not a “progressive, new thing.”… https://t.co/kMzTt1WCzr— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1553131170.0
The internet soon began applauding.
@AOC Damn! Do you ever rest or is it constant ownz?— MugenTheRedEyedCoyote (@MugenTheRedEyedCoyote) 1553143612.0
@AOC This was funny and struck a chord with me. @AOC is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥— mellow feral (@mellow feral) 1553141586.0
@AOC Laura, how many times do I have to tell you to wear Sun glasses if the brightness of @AOC hurt your eyes 😎😎😎😎😎😎.— Dr. Belén Washa (@Dr. Belén Washa) 1553132812.0
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fox News hosts and commentators have exhibited similar behavior with other members of Congress.
Like referring to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as Palestinian, despite the Congresswoman immigrating from Somalia as a child.
@AOC Here is Fox News Reporting Ilhan Omar, who is a black Somali Muslim woman, as Palestinian. https://t.co/YSH6dDT7a8— StanceGrounded (@StanceGrounded) 1553130948.0
@AOC again she is a black woman from Somalia 😂 https://t.co/eIFAH4Vw01— StanceGrounded (@StanceGrounded) 1553131105.0
Then again, Fox News—especially Laura Ingraham—isn't known for its credibility.
@JesseBWatters @IngrahamAngle Spreading lies— @cml123 (@@cml123) 1552886388.0
It’s amazing what lies Fox News can get away with.. This is why I love following historians on here. https://t.co/8RSqELf1ss— Tyler. 📈6️⃣ #GoUtes (@Tyler. 📈6️⃣ #GoUtes) 1553016504.0
And yet, Fox News remains the most watched cable news network, despite 59% of statements made on the network ranging from mostly to blatantly false.