Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is refusing to accept Florida GOP Rep. Ted Yoho's apology for confronting her at the U.S. Capitol about her recent video where she blamed New York's dramatic increase in crime on out-of-work parents who are desperate to "shoplift some bread" for their children.
In a series of Twitter posts Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez accused Yoho of "accosting" her with a "verbal assault" and said it "was not an apology."
Yoho, reportedly under pressure from House leaders in both parties, took to the floor of the House on Wednesday to apologize for the "abrupt manner" in which he approached Ocasio-Cortez.
On the "Greg Kelly Reports" show on Newsmax TV on Wednesday evening, Yoho flatly denied uttering a profane slur attributed to him by other media outlets.
"No, I did not say that to her, and she knows that," said Yoho, who added Ocasio-Cortez was quoted by one outlet as claiming the Freedom Caucus conservative called her "frickin' crazy."
He also denied, as some outlets have reported, muttering the profanity as he walked away from her.
"I apologize for my actions," he said. "I can't apologize for something I didn't say."
During the exchange, Yoho said he told Ocasio-Cortez: "You can't be that ignorant."
"I did apologize for approaching her on the House steps," Yoho said. "I did not accost her, and I wanted to have that conversation, and I apologize that I could have done that with better foresight. We could have set up an appointment and we could have sat down. The discussion would remain the same."
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