‘I’m an enormous AOC fan,’ Comer stated. ‘Clearly, I don’t agree with a lot of her coverage, however I believe she’s particular person. I believe she’s very well-spoken.’
Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the Home Oversight Committee, stated throughout an interview with CNN on Thursday that he thinks Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) could also be match for the prime democrat spot on the panel, citing his contentious historical past with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md).
“I’m an enormous AOC fan,” Comer stated. “Clearly, I don’t agree with a lot of her coverage, however I believe she’s particular person. I believe she’s very well-spoken.
“I believe we’ll have working relationship.”
The seat on the Home Oversight Committee opened up when Raskin left his submit to be the highest Democrat on the Home Judiciary Committee.
Comer additionally stated he “didn’t have relationship with Jamie Raskin.”
“I don’t suppose that’s any secret. I inform the press after they ask concerning the race for rating member, the Democrats have nowhere to go however up after having [Rep. Jamie Raskin] for the final 4 years. So I believe AOC can be nice,” he stated.
“This isn’t a place I search calmly,” she wrote in a Dec. 6 letter. “The duty of main Democrats on the Home Oversight Committee throughout Donald Trump’s second time period within the White Home is a profound and consequential one. Now, greater than ever, we should deal with the Committee’s sturdy historical past of each holding administrations accountable and taking up the financial precarity and inequality that’s difficult the American lifestyle.”
The highly effective Home Oversight Committee serves as a watchdog over the federal authorities and offers checks and balances on roles and energy in Washington D.C. After Democrats received the Home majority in 2018, the committee, the panel notably led quite a few investigations into the primary Trump administration.
Ocasio-Cortez, 35, is a member of the so-called “Squad” and has been seen as a future chief within the Democratic Occasion.
Her candidacy units her as much as problem 74-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who was simply elected to his ninth time period.
Comer additionally commented positively about Connoly.
“Gerry Connolly can be nice,” Comer stated. “I do know Raj Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, their names have been thrown within the hat. However I actually sit up for working with the subsequent rating member.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s push to function the highest Democrat on the Home Oversight Committee appears to be a part of a pattern of youthful Home Democrats competing with senior colleagues for main committee positions within the incoming Congress within the wake of the 2024 election.
Such committee shakeups look like taking part in out on three different Home committees.
On the Home Pure Assets Committee, 60-year-old Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) launched a problem in opposition to his senior colleague, 76-year Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) who has served 11 phrases in Congress. Grijalva later dropped his bid and endorsed 45-year-old Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) for the highest Democrat position on the panel.
On the Home Judiciary Committee, longtime Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) dropped out of the race after Raskin launched his bid to unseat him.
On the Home Agriculture Committee, rating member Rep. David Scott faces the chance of shedding his committee management place after a pair of junior Democrats, Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.), launched challenges in opposition to him.
Democrats will elect their committee leaders behind closed doorways subsequent week.
