Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has taken her stand in a fiery court filing, asserting her right to block right-wing provocateur Alex Stein from her personal @AOC account on X (formerly known as Twitter). She boldly underscores that this personal account isn’t administered by government employees, providing her with the autonomy to make this choice.
The filing delivers a compelling argument, stating that Ocasio-Cortez blocked Stein from her personal account while preserving access to her official @RepAOC government account. This decision, she asserts, stems from a paramount interest—to safeguard herself from unfounded abuse and harassment, which transcends any specific viewpoint or expression of opinion.
The backdrop to this legal showdown is a disturbing July 2022 incident when Stein hurled a barrage of “abusive, sexist, misogynist, harassing, and racist personal epithets” at Ocasio-Cortez from the steps of the Capitol. In response, the congresswoman blocked Stein from her personal account. However, this action prompted him to file a lawsuit against her in March.
Adding an extra layer of intensity, the Supreme Court had earlier in the year agreed to examine the application of the First Amendment to public officials who choose to block users on social media platforms—a legal battleground that promises no shortage of sparks.
