Christian charity asks Rep. Ted Yoho to resign over alleged profanity against AOC
Bread for the World, a bipartisan Christian organization committed to alleviating hunger and poverty, announced Saturday that it asked Florida Congressman Ted Yoho to resign from its board after New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez alleged that he called her a dangerous, disgusting, crazy, “f*****g b***h.” He has denied the claim.
“As a bipartisan Christian organization committed to alleviating hunger and poverty through sound public policies, Bread for the World upholds the values of respect, dignity, and compassion that Jesus calls us to when engaging decision makers from across the political spectrum. We believe that Rep. Ted Yoho’s recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors,” Bread for the World said in a statement.
“Bread for the World met with Rep. Yoho on Friday and he has resigned from the board of Bread. During that conversation, we reaffirmed our joint commitment to expanding opportunity for men, women, and children around the world and thanked Rep. Yoho for his commitment to foreign aid effectiveness and transparency. Despite these areas of agreement, Bread sought his resignation as an action that reaffirms our commitment to coming alongside women and people of color, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world.”
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The announcement came a day after Yoho denied the claims made by Ocasio-Cortez in a Fox News interview where he noted that he directed criticism at her policy positions and not her personally.
“Everything was directed at policy and yeah, she thought it was right for people to go ahead and shoplift if you're hungry. I said, 'seriously, as many social programs and faith-based programs and all these food kitchens around, the best that you can do is to offer people in your district to go ahead and shoplift — while you're calling at the same time to defund the police? Those are just absolutely the most frickin crazy policies you've ever had' — and I said 'your policies are disgusting' and I turned around and walked away," Yoho recalled.
When questioned about his use of profanity, Yoho said he only muttered to himself that Ocasio-Cortez's comments to him were "such frickin B.S."
"She's making hay out of this, she's fundraising off of this, out in front of the Capitol wearing her COVID mask, playing [music], making fun of this. Yet she's on the floor crying saying how bad this is but yet she's out there saying the same thing. You know, it's disingenuous,” Yoho added.
Yoho previously offered an apology on the House floor on Thursday, for the “abrupt manner of the conversation I had with my colleague from New York.”
“The offensive name-calling words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues, and if they were constructed that way, I apologize for their misunderstanding,” he said.
Responding in a speech of her own to Congress last Thursday as well, Ocasio-Cortez said that Yoho accosted her and called her “crazy” and “dangerous.” Shortly after that encounter, she said he called her a “f*****g b***h” in front of reporters.
“These are the words Representative Yoho levied against a congresswoman,” Ocasio-Cortez said from the House floor.
“Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters. I am two years younger than Mr. Yoho’s youngest daughter. I am someone’s daughter too,” she noted. “Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. And when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize.”
Ocasio-Cortez argued that it was clear Yoho did not want to apologize.
In its statement on Saturday, Bread for the World said it hoped political leaders would be able to engage in “civil dialogue” that can lead to “real structural change” in the U.S. and around the world.
“During this critical time in our nation in which millions depend on U.S. government leadership and improved public policies that center on those most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, it is our hope and prayer that government leaders will find the moral courage and political will to foster healing and civil dialogue that leads to real structural change in our country and globally,” the organization said.
