Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) cast blame on Jeanine Pirro, host of the Fox News show Justice with Judge Jeanine, for the recent death threats to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MI).
A New York man was arrested on Friday for allegedly threating to assault and kill Omar. On Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez responded to the report, writing on Twitter that "when Jeanine Pirro goes on Fox + rallies people to think hijabs are threatening, it leads to this."
"Folks who imply we’re 'bad' for politics, the party, the country, etc. have no idea the threats we deal w/ because of that kind of language. Talk policy, not personal," Ocasio-Cortez concluded.
Pirro, a former New York state judge strongly condemned Omar on her show on March 9 for her accusation against American Jews about their "allegiance to a foreign country," questioning her loyalty to the United States in light of her Muslim faith.
"Omar wears a hijab which according to the Quran 33:59 tells women to cover so they won't get molested," Pirro said. "Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?"
Pirro's comment was met with widespread criticism and Fox News condemned Pirro's statement. "We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro's comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar. They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly."
A week later, Justice With Judge Jeanine, one of the network's highest ranking weekend shows, failed to air at its usual time-slot.
US President Donald Trump then rose to Pirro's defense, writing on Twitter, “Bring back Jeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our country. They have all out campaigns against Fox News hosts who are doing too well.”
Pirro's show returned to Fox News after a two-week suspension. Thousands of US citizens had called for her show to be boycotted along with the companies that advertised during her show.
Pirro, a Republican Trump supporter born to Lebanese parents, was the first female judge in Westchester County, New York and later became the first female district attorney in Westchester County.