Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said political biases against her personal brand often stops bipartisan legislation from passing in Congress, including bills targeting “pedophiles and sexual abusers.”
Ocasio-Cortez appeared on Thursday’s episode of “The Majority Report With Sam Seder,” where she discussed the DEFIANCE Act, which protects against sexually explicit and manipulative deepfakes, and why she believes it has struggled to move through Congress despite bipartisan support and approval in the Senate.
The bipartisan legislation, spearheaded by Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fl.), is designed to give victims of nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes grounds to take legal action. The bill would allow victims to sue those who create or distribute such images without their consent, including AI-generated or digitally altered material.
“This is not the first time that we’ve encountered that roadblock,” Ocasio-Cortez told host Seder, noting that she has seen similar obstacles under both Republican and Democratic majorities. “There is a fear about … there is a lot invested in trying to convey an ascendant and popular movement as ineffective.”
“And so there is a lot of incentive by our political establishment to do everything they can to maintain that narrative because it’s one of the few things that they have,” she continued.
Ocasio-Cortez added that this resistance to her ideas isn’t a new concept, but since the GOP has become more vulnerable in recent months, they will do everything in their power to avoid her getting a “win.”
“I think that in a Republican majority where they are very vulnerable, the last thing they want … I mean I’ve heard straight up … I have bills that are so common sense that are, that pass committee unanimously that Republicans agree on, Democrats agree on, swing seat folks agree on,” she said. “And, you know, having people on my team be told, ‘This can’t move because it has her name on it.’”
Ocasio-Cortez argued that the DEFIANCE Act should be treated differently because of its potential impact on victims of sexually explicit deepfakes.
“That has happened in the past under both party leaderships — and that’s OK because we find other ways to be effective,” she said. “But I do think that when it comes to this issue, I would really implore Speaker [Mike] Johnson and Republicans … We should not allow pedophiles and sexual abusers to run amok because you just don’t like a girl.”
“Hot take,” Seder chimed in to which Ocasio-Cortez agreed was a “hot take.”
Ocasio-Cortez added, “We’re now at a point where something like one in eight middle schoolers, kids know someone or have experienced deepfake attacks in this way.”
She called allowing the issue to persist for political reasons “some of the most egregious and horrible activities that we can do,” adding that she believes lawmakers have an opportunity to address it.
“And I actually do think that on this issue, they are capable of being better,” she added.
Ocasio-Cortez did credit some Republican lawmakers including Lee, saying, “We’re ready to rock. Let’s help people.”
You can watch Ocasio-Cortez’s full “The Majority Report” interview in the video above.
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