Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and a “Squad” buddy whipped up a panic Thursday demanding the feds to probe “a nationwide disaster” involving a string of “modern-day lynchings” of blacks — despite the fact that all accessible proof doesn’t level to racial animus within the tragic deaths.
The far-left New York Metropolis Dem joined US Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and different Democrats in firing off a letter to US Legal professional Basic Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday urging them “to totally examine suspicious deaths and maintain people accountable,” citing “10 reported hangings of Black individuals” thus far in 2026.
“We’re extraordinarily alarmed by stories of Black individuals discovered hanging from bushes in quite a few
states all through our nation,” the letter mentioned. “The collection of deaths elevate important suspicion of foul play given the function of lynching in our nation’s historical past.
“Subsequently, we write to urgently demand a radical, clear, and complete federal investigation into each hanging demise of a Black particular person throughout the US.”
AOC and Pressley had been fast to put up the letter on X — the place the missive was instantly hit with fact-checks from customers exhibiting many of the 10 fatalities had been dominated suicides by health workers or legislation enforcement.
AOC’s press workplace fired again to The Publish, ” At a minimal, every investigation, with permission of the decedents’ households, ought to embody an impartial post-mortem, an audit of native and state legislation enforcement investigations, evaluation of bodily and testimonial proof, and a last report submitted to Congress explaining the company’s findings.”
The letter additionally referred to as for “sturdy information assortment” aiming to trace the hanging deaths of black individuals in a “clear and systematic method.”
Solely one of many cited deaths — involving a Mississippi lady named Tasia Fortune, 29 — is being investigated as a murder.
Terence Anderson, a black man, is reportedly being detained as an individual of curiosity within the case.
One other one of many deaths — of a black father of 9 kids in North Carolina — has been deemed suspicious. It is also nonetheless open.
The opposite hanging demise victims, who had been from Georgia and North Carolina, amongst different states, have been dominated suicides with out foul play by native authorities.
The Democratic lawmakers — together with AOC and Pressley, members of the left-wing congressional occasion faction generally known as “The Squad” — requested the Division of Justice to utilize the Emmett Until Antilynching Act, handed in 2022, ought to any of the deaths be decided to be lynchings.
The legislation makes lynchings a federal hate crime offense, punishable by as much as 30 years in jail.
Practically 60 Democrats signed on to Tuesday’s letter, together with Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), who serves as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The DOJ and FBI didn’t reply to Publish requests for remark, nor did reps for Pressley’s congressional workplace.
