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Ocasio-Cortez on Preserving Right to Abortion: Dems Should 'Pack the Supreme Court'

October 11, 2018

Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats should ensure Roe v. Wade stands by taking back control of the House, Senate, the presidency, and by packing the Supreme Court.

Ocasio-Cortez made the comments, first flagged by NTK Network, on Oct. 1 after a screening of liberal filmmaker Michael Moore’s movie "Fahrenheit 11/9."

An audience member asked Cortez what the Democrats' plan on how to handle a Supreme Court that has a conservative majority and could end up repealing Roe v. Wade.

"I think that we take back the House, we take back the Senate, we take back the presidency, and we pack the Supreme Court of the United States of America," Ocasio-Cortez said.

President Donald Trump appointed his second Supreme Court justice by nominating Brett Kavanaugh this summer to fill retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy's seat. Many Democrats opposed Kavanaugh from the onset, sighting his judicial philosophy, and the confirmation battle became bitter after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. Kavanaugh denied all allegation and after the FBI investigated the claims, investigators found no corroborating evidence.

Senate Democrats called the allegations credible, with several stating Kavanaugh doesn't get the presumption of innocence. As the allegations remained uncorroborated and holes developed in accusations, Democrats and those opposed to his confirmation shifted focus to questions over Kavanaugh's judicial temperament and history of drinking beer.

Kavanaugh was confirmed in a 50-48 vote.

Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez said progressives can't compromise with "insane" people on the right.

"When you’re dealing with these insane people holding the country hostage on the right, you can’t go in with your end point. You have to go in with a strong position," she said. "If they’re trying to end Planned Parenthood, I don’t think we go in with, ‘No, let’s keep Planned Parenthood.' I think we go in with, ‘Let’s expand women’s rights to health care and have it guaranteed in every state.' I think we can compromise on our tactics and how we get there, but we can’t compromise where we’re going."