AOC’s electric shock: Socialist ‘owns a $35K Tesla
A Tesla Model 3 reportedly belonging to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been spotted parked illegally outside a Whole Foods in Washington D.C.
The $35,000 Tesla with New York plates and a Congressional parking pass was pictured in a no-parking zone near AOC’s luxury DC apartment on May 14, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
Sources told the Free Beacon that AOC had been seen driving a white Tesla in the neighborhood.
AOC’s press rep did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com for requests for comment.
In October 2020, the NYC Congresswoman revealed she had bought an electric vehicle to avoid having to take public transport to commute from New York City to DC during the COVID pandemic.
The story prompted surprised reactions online that AOC might have purchased a Tesla, as the socialist firebrand has pledged to rail against the billions of dollars in low-interest loans and tax breaks that had helped the company become the leading electric vehicle company in the world.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Tesla Model 3 has reportedly been spotted parked illegally outside an Whole Foods in DC
The $35,000 Tesla with New York plates and a Congressional parking pass was pictured in a no-parking zone near AOC’s luxury DC apartment on May 14
In October 2020, the NYC Congresswoman revealed she had bought an electric vehicle to avoid having to take public transport to commute from New York City to DC during the COVID pandemic
‘If AOC paid the same tax rates as I do.. that would eat up about 43% of her after tax income (assuming that’s the low end Model 3: MSRP $39,490) Congress makes $174,000/yr. pretax.’ former Fox News host Eric Bolling said.
AOC has also described billionaires as a ‘policy failure’.
Even after a recent slump in Tesla’s share price, Musk, 49, is worth an estimated $160 billion.
Others pointed out the irony of her car being spotted outside a Whole Foods, after AOC famously thwarted its parent company Amazon’s attempts to build an enormous new corporate campus in her home district of Queens.
One Twitter user wrote: ‘Why is @AOC even shopping at @Wholefoods when it’s owned by @JeffBezos? She made such a stink abt Amazon in NYC, was that for the publicity? I am so tired of these hypocrites. If you’re gonna talk the talk, you better walk the walk. spare me with your whole foods & Tesla.’
CEO Jeff Bezos, 57, is the wealthiest man in the world with an estimated personal fortune of $200 billion.
Elon Musk, 49, has been a frequent target of socialist firebrand AOC, as has Jeff Bezos, 57, is the CEO of Amazon, which owns Whole Foods. AOC thwarted the building of a new Amazon corporate HQ in her district of Queens in 2019
In October 2020, AOC revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair that she had purchased a new electric car.
‘I’m really lucky that I have not gotten a parking ticket,’ she said.
AOC explained her reasons for buying a vehicle during an Instagram Live stream.
‘I usually travel by train, but due to COVID I now drive by car, I travel by car,’ Ocasio-Cortez said.
‘Not a combustion engine vehicle, but I travel by car between New York and D.C.’
AOC had previously gone on the offensive against Tesla over the millions it received in subsidies.
‘When we as a public choose to invest in new technologies, we deserve a return on that investment,’ Ocasio-Cortez said in December 2018.
‘For far too long, we gave money to Tesla, we gave money to a ton of people and we got no return on our investment that the public made in creating technologies, and it’s about time we get our due because it’s the public that funded and financed a lot of innovative technologies,’ Ocasio Cortez continued.
Twitter users were quick to highlight AOC’s apparent u-turn from her December 2018 stance.
‘During one the cheapest Tesla’s there no coming back from this, she’s supporting Elon Musk…lmao’, one wrote.
Others mocked AOC’s attempts to present herself as an average American, writing: ‘AOC drives an expensive Tesla and shops at an expensive gourmet food market. Yup, she’s sooooo in touch with the average American, ain’t she?
‘Remember this the next tme she talks about how she was a bartender and one of the little people. She ain’t. Not even close’.
The Tesla Model 3, above, can travel the 228 mile distance from AOC’s home in New York to Washington DC on a single charge
The $59,000 Tesla with New York plates and a Congressional parking pass was pictured in a no-parking zone near AOC’s luxury DC apartment on May 14, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
AOC was also a thorn in the side of Amazon, thwarting CEO Jeff Bezos’ push to build a second headquarters in Long Island City adjacent to her Congressional district in Queens in 2019.
Facing backlash from Ocasio-Cortez and other New York Democrats over $3 billion in tax incentives to open an office employing 25,000, Amazon abruptly cancelled the HQ2 plan in February.
The proposed HQ2 also received backlash from residents who feared the project would lead to overcrowded subways and soaring rents, but homeowners and local businesses were generally in favor of the development.
Ocasio-Cortez was one of the most vocal opponents of the Long Island City HQ2, pitting her against fellow Democrats Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo, the architects of the deal.
It was a major blow to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had both lobbied intensely to land the campus within city limits.
The Mayor responded to the news by criticizing Amazon in a series of tweets, saying the company ‘threw away’ an opportunity and failed to work with the community.
‘You have to be tough to make it in New York City. We gave Amazon the opportunity to be a good neighbor and do business in the greatest city in the world. Instead of working with the community, Amazon threw away that opportunity,’ de Blasio said.
Then a newly-elected Congresswoman, Ocasio-Cortez was among the more high-profile critics of the deal from the Democratic Party’s leftward flank.
AOC earns a salary of $174,000 as a sophomore Member of Congress.
