Transformed

AOC says her 'life has completely transformed' since Pelosi exited leadership role

By Alec Regimbal

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says her life in Congress has been “completely transformed” for the better since California Rep. Nancy Pelosi vacated her House leadership role, according to the Guardian’s summation of a new book by Ryan Grim, The Intercept’s D.C. bureau chief.

Grim is the author of the forthcoming “The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution.” It details the rise of several young, progressive lawmakers in Congress, including Ocasio-Cortez (known colloquially as AOC). The Guardian, which obtained a copy of the book, covered some of its revelations, which include several anecdotes about the relationship between Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez. 

In short, the two did not get along, and Ocasio-Cortez told Grim that she believed her “misery” in Congress was due to a grudge held against her by Pelosi and the entire Democratic Party House leadership team. After Pelosi stepped down from her leadership role at the turn of the year, though, Ocasio-Cortez told Grim, “My life has completely transformed. It’s crazy. And it’s that that made me realize it was kind of just [Pelosi] the whole time.”

The two reportedly butted heads over climate change and immigration policy, as well as provisions in a massive infrastructure package that Congress passed in 2021. While such disagreements are common, even among members of the same party, Ocasio-Cortez reportedly told Grim that Pelosi was often condescending toward her — especially about her age. “The amount of times she told me that stupid ‘I have protest signs older than you in my basement’ s—t. Like yeah but mine don’t collect dust,” Ocasio-Cortez, who was elected at age 29, wrote to Grim in a text.

Ocasio-Cortez also reportedly told Grim that Pelosi grew furious with her on a “rare call” between the two when AOC pointed out that no one had asked her how her upstart campaign managed to win the 2018 race against longtime incumbent Joe Crowley, who had the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). She told Grim: “I told her DCCC campaign vendors sucked, and that it was strange that after I beat Crowley not a single person bothered to ask how I beat him. … She got so mad at me.”

After Republicans took back control of the House in last year’s general elections, Pelosi decided to abdicate her role in House leadership. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries took her place, and Ocasio-Cortez told Grim that, at the time, she believed “things would get worse.” In the year or so since then, her experience has actually improved. 

“Senior members talk to me, [committee] chairs are nice to me, people want to work together,” she told Grim. “I’m shocked. I couldn’t even get floor time before.”