EXCLUSIVE — AOC on David Grusch: "The allegations of reprisal and culture is actually a primary concern"

AOC prepares to question UFO whistleblower David Grusch on July 23, 2023. Photo: Matt Laslo

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is a leading voice on the House Oversight Committee. Last July, after questioning UFO whistleblower David Grusch , AOC exclusively told Ask a Pol the public hearing raised more questions — “particularly, around defense contracting and transparency from the Pentagon” — than it answered.

After attending last month’s SCIF briefing on Grusch and his allegations, Ocasio-Cortez refused to answer questions from reporters because the meeting was classified, so we made sure to circle back with her as soon as the opportunity arose.

Who?

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Ask a Pol asked:

“It’s almost like the military industrial complex is now complete, it seems? And that enables them to hide stuff from Congress?”

AOC’s response: 

“I mean, that’s the core question that we must ask,” Ocasio-Cortez exclusively tells Ask a Pol.

Both AOC and the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), told Ask a Pol they had more questions for David Grusch after they found his public testimony credible. Photo: Matt Laslo

Notable: AOC on defense contractors

“I think there’s an enormous amount of open questions here as to what guides, what — where the line is between what falls under direct government operations and what is chosen to be contracted out. I think that there’s an important — I think that there’s potential oversight to be done, and then also, of course, once a contractor is in possession of US resources, how that is deployed and what the information shared,” Ocasio-Cortez exclusively tells Ask a Pol.

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ICYMI — AOC after Grusch testified July 2023

LISTEN: Laslo & AOC

Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.

Ask a Pol — asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol. @Ask_a_Pol or @askpols 

SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT*

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), slightly edited for clarity.

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TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

SCENE: Lawmakers are walking from their offices across the street to the US Capitol via a long underground tunnel so they can cast their last vote of the week on the floor of the US House of Representatives. Matt Laslo was in the middle of interviewing one lawmaker who already cast her vote when AOC walked past, so he quickly — and as politely as possible — ended the interview and ran-walked to catch up with the New York congresswoman.

Matt Laslo: “Hey how are you congresswoman?”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: “Hi. I’m good how are you?”

ML: “Still standing. I was curious about your thoughts on, like, what questions do you have next for the contracting community in regards to UAPs?”

AOC: “Well, I think there’s an enormous amount of open questions here as to what guides, what — where the line is between what falls under direct government operations and what is chosen to be contracted out. I think that there’s an important — I think that there’s potential oversight to be done, and then also, of course, once a contractor is in possession of US resources, how that is deployed and what the information shared.”