Judge Orders Ocasio-Cortez To Testify In Person Over Twitter Bans

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has been ordered by a Brooklyn Federal Judge to appear in person to explain why she has blocked several people over twitter, according to the NY Daily News. 

“I think she has to testify here,” said Judge Frederic Block during a Thursday hearing to discuss a case brought by former politician Dov Hikind, who AOC banned from her Twitter feed. 

Block, after seeing hundreds of pages of tweets entered into evidence, said he believed hearing from the freshman member of Congress was necessary to decide whether to toss the suit or let the case proceed. Ocasio-Cortez boasts a staggering 5.4 million Twitter followers — even without Hikind.

The former state Assemblyman took on the media-savvy Ocasio-Cortez when she gave him the Twitter boot in a spat over her description of federal immigration detention centers as “concentration camps.” He griped that AOC was violating his First Amendment rights, citing a recent decision declaring President Trump’s blocking of Twitter trolls was unconstitutional. –NY Daily News

On Thursday, Hikind testified that he doesn’t personally send the tweets in his account, rather, a staffer does the “clicking” once he’s formulated “the wording.” 

Also discussed was the fact that AOC has two Twitter accounts; a personal / campaign account, and a government-issued account. 

AOC’s lawyers noted that Hikind doesn’t live in her district – rather, he live in Rep. Jerry Nadler’s Manhattan-Brooklyn district. 

“So you’re not a constituent of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez?” asked AOC attorney Joseph Sandler. 

“I’m a citizen of the United States,” replied Hikind. 

“So you’re not directly …” Sandler continued.

“Not technically, yes,” Hikind replied. 

Judge Block, meanwhile, said he doesn’t use Twitter and doesn’t plan to – telling the court “I’m afraid to use it. I haven’t posted anything on it. It scares me.”