Socialist Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is on the verge of getting a key position on the House Oversight Committee according to reports.
While speaking with Politico on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez said that “conversations” about her being picked as vice ranking member were being made however “nothing’s been finalized.”
If selected for the second position, Ocasio-Cortez would serve as the deputy to the ranking member, Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and play a significant role in determining the strategy for Democrats to counter Republican plans to investigate various aspects of the Biden administration.
Due to Raskin’s cancer treatment, his deputy may assume additional duties, such as representing the ranking member at hearings during their absence. However, a Democratic aide informed POLITICO that any member can substitute for the ranking member.
“I have the greatest admiration for her skill, and I’m sure we’re going to be able to deploy her to maximum effect on the committee, along with all these other amazing new members,” Raskin said while speaking about Ocasio-Cortez.
Check out what the Daily Wire reported:
Party aides told the news outlet that Democrats on the panel are expected to meet on Monday to hash out their plan for the next two years. The report said the meeting could be used to finalize leadership positions. It also noted how Ocasio-Cortez previously served as Raskin’s vice chairwoman on the oversight subcommittee on civil rights issues, which fostered a “close relationship” that “fueled some speculation among some Democrats” about such a dynamic being repeated as Raskin ascended to the top minority party spot on the full committee.
Already there are hearings being scheduled for next week. One is set to take place on Wednesday and is titled, “Federal Pandemic Spending: A Prescription for Waste, Fraud, and Abuse.”
Among the other Democrats picked to be on the House Oversight Committee for this nascent session of Congress are Reps. Ro Khanna (CA), Katie Porter (CA), Cori Bush (MO), and Dan Goldman (NY).
The Republicans are led by Chairman James Comer (R-KY). Their members will include Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and Paul Gosar (AZ), both of whom were selected this month for committee assignments after being removed from their seats in flashes of controversy during the last session of Congress, as well as Lauren Boebert (CO).
On Friday, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters that she will have a lot of “fun on this committee.” Democrats will have the “opportunity and platform to de-legitimize a lot of the disinformation that they’ve been advancing,” she said.