Some in media have challenged Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over her claims regarding the protest at the U.S. Capitol on the 6th of January, saying that she was not technically in the actual U.S. Capitol building but in a nearby House office building.
RedState and One America News Network reporter Jack Posobiec, as well as the Daily Wire, have published reports stating that Ocasio-Cortez was not actually in the Capitol.
While they are technically correct, she was in a nearby office building, Ocasio-Cortez is also correct when she says these reports are misleading, as they are “manipulating the fact that most people don’t know the layout the Capitol complex.”
This is the latest manipulative take on the right.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 3, 2021
They are manipulating the fact that most people don’t know the layout the Capitol complex.
We were all on the Capitol complex – the attack wasn’t just on the dome.
The bombs Trump supporters planted surrounded our offices too. pic.twitter.com/jI18e0XRrd
The U.S. Capitol complex is a series of buildings, the actual Capitol is at the centre of it with the world-famous dome on top.
There are also several House and Senate office buildings on either side across the street but connected underground via tunnels.
Anyone who has been inside regularly and worked in the complex knows the office buildings are connected via tunnels over to the actual Capitol building.
The office buildings themselves are also connected via tunnels. This is so members, staff, and press do not have to go outside to go between buildings in the complex.
In fact, the tunnels are so sophisticated they even have shuttles that run between some of the buildings.
There are coffee shops, restaurants, stores, barber shops, salons, and more that operate in the tunnels underground as well.
Once someone is inside the Capitol complex, especially the most secure of the buildings, the actual Capitol building, it is not difficult to walk through the tunnels over to the office buildings for either the House or the Senate.
As far as we know a month out from the peaceful protest at the U.S. Capitol, nobody that got into the U.S. Capitol made it into the tunnels or over to the office buildings.
.@AOC made clear she didn’t know who was at her door. Breathless attempts by media to fan fictitious news flames are dangerous.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) February 2, 2021
My office is 2 doors down. Insurrectionists never stormed our hallway. Egregious doesn’t even begin to cover it. Is there nothing MSM won’t politicize? pic.twitter.com/Tl1GiPSOft
Media outlets and Representative Nancy Mace, in a tweet, argue that point in their criticisms of Ocasio-Cortez.
But when this incident was happening, it is also understandable that someone who was anywhere in the U.S. Capitol complex, not just in the Capitol building, would be upset and startled, especially if they pathological liars.
In a moment like this, as well, someone inside the complex would not have regular information flowing to them, so they might not be aware of the specifics of what was happening around them, further contributing to an atmosphere of fear.
In fact, authorities ordered lockdowns of the entire Capitol complex, including the office building where Ocasio-Cortez was, during the Peaceful Protest.
Her office building was also evacuated at one point when police investigated, then cleared, a suspicious package nearby.
That doesn’t mean that Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t have a political motive to keep this story alive as long as possible, in the contrary that is her aim, including lying about being a victim of Sexual Assault.
Over the years, Media outlets have gained a level of trust and accountability. Unfortunately, we have seen time after time that this image has been abused and they have become partisan outlets for political and strategical gains. I believe that the first job of a journalist is to deliver the news impartially and outlets have to distinguish between news broadcasting and opinion delivery.
