Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and her fellow members of the far-left congressional “Squad” are reportedly facing serious legal issues, according to a Fox News report on Sunday.
Ocasio-Cortez and her colleagues are implicated in a class-action lawsuit accusing them of inciting anti-Semitic violence at Columbia University earlier this summer, as well as contributing to encampments. The suit, filed anonymously by five students, names Ocasio-Cortez, Democratic Reps. Jamal Bowman of New York and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, along with approximately a dozen anti-Israel organizing groups.
“The Gaza Encampment was extreme and outrageous conduct. It was illegal. It violated university rules. Its occupants harassed, followed, physically blocked, intimidated, and bullied Jewish students,” the lawsuit says. The New York Post reports that two of the five students are Jewish, and one of them, who identified as “Tim Doe,” spoke to the outlet about the legal action.
“During the protests, I witnessed numerous offensive and antisemitic signs and messages, including antisemitic skunk posters with the Star of David,” he said. “In one instance, I was walking with my non-Jewish friends when I was singled out because I was wearing my yarmulke. A leader of the pro-Palestinian protest approached our group and confronted me. He singled me out, yelling that I needed to move, and when I refused, he began to shove me out of the way,” he added.
The encampment at Columbia University drew international attention as students and faculty staged a prolonged campus takeover lasting several weeks. The protests forced the university to transition classes to an online format and significantly restricted access to campus buildings, disrupting students’ preparations for final exams. Consequently, Columbia, like many other universities across the country, was compelled to cancel its graduation ceremony.
“Those were real damages sustained by the 36,000 students at Columbia who chose to obey university rules, go to class, and pursue their education, only to be frustrated at the finish line by the … acts of their classmates and professors, with the assistance and encouragement of outside activists,” the lawsuit claims. All three of the ‘Squad’ members named publicly expressed support for the often violent protests and occupation.
Last month, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) launched impeachment proceedings against Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, both of whom are known for their conservative views and have been frequent targets of criticism from the left. This move represents a major escalation in the tensions between progressive factions of the Democratic Party and the conservative justices on the nation’s highest court.
The action follows a series of high-profile Supreme Court decisions that have elicited strong reactions from across the political spectrum. Ocasio-Cortez’s filing also underscores ongoing progressive criticism of the court’s conservative justices, particularly in light of recent reports linking Justice Thomas with prominent Republican donors. These reports have heightened scrutiny of the Supreme Court’s enforcement of its ethics rules.
Additionally, this initiative parallels efforts by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), who have called for the Department of Justice to appoint a special counsel to investigate Thomas criminally. Their concerns involve his alleged acceptance of travel and use of a luxury car, which they argue could constitute ethical violations.
The House needs only a simple majority to pass articles of impeachment, which would then trigger a formal trial in the Senate. However, given the current Republican control of the chamber, Ocasio-Cortez’s impeachment motion faces significant challenges and is unlikely to advance.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.