During Thursday night's presidential debate on ABC, the network aired a Republican ad critical of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). The spot, created by a Republican PAC called New Faces GOP, described AOC as "the face of socialism." The ad then shows her picture burning, before airing images of the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s, orchestrated by brutal communist leader Pol Pot.
The congresswoman noted how ABC and Sinclair Broadcast Group would "profit" from burning her likeness on TV. While she could expect threats.
The image of AOC's face burning sparked a "Boycott ABC" trend online, led by Democratic leaders like the Democratic Coalition Co-founder Scott Dworkin. He added that ABC "can go to hell."
Some of AOC's fellow Squad members spoke out about the ad too, calling it a display of violence.
The Republican lawmaker who narrated the ad, Elizabeth Heng, rejected those claims.
Heng added that the Demcorats "are more offended by truthful words than the acts of their political ideology that has killed millions of innocent victims."
I "don't care" about AOC's feelings, Heng said. She "cares about stopping her lies about the lies of socialism."