Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) might have placed herself in an awkward position, facing a number of uncomfortable legal questions after she decided to describe the Cornell University gang rape allegations as an established fact, despite the men who have been accused in the case not having been criminally convicted of any charges related to that bizarre and sickening night.
The controversy stems from the “Cornell 7,” which is a group of seven men who have been accused in a civil lawsuit of purposefully drugging and sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman while at a fraternity house back in October 2024. Ocasio-Cortez issued a rather dramatic speech concerning the allegations during a September 27 town hall event in Ithaca, New York.
As soon as her comments hit the media, it raised concerns about whether the remarks she made crossed the line from political advocacy into potentially defamatory comments that damage the characters of these young men who have yet to be convicted for any crime. The New York Democrat made her comments in the speech before having all the established facts.
“I want to address one of the most pressing issues that we have seen come out of Ithaca just this past week, which is the news coming out of Cornell University about what they did regarding a Jane Doe….It has just been revealed that in 2024, just about two years ago, seven men drugged and gang raped a 20 year old woman,” AOC went on to tell those attending the town hall, according to a report from Trending Politics News.
“They lured her into a fraternity house, they drugged her with ketamine, they then posted to a group chat that she was incapacitated and seven men took turns gang raping her for seven hours….” she continued. The congresswoman’s comments have drawn heavy fire because of her description of the allegations, in an unresolved case, as though the guilt of the young men involved has already been factually established.
A Substack analysis of AOC’s comments has raised the possibility of a defamation claim made against her, making the case that her statements could undermine the men’s right to due process as guaranteed in the Constitution. As of this writing, no such lawsuit against Ocasio-Cortez has been confirmed. She’s not the only political figure to get engulfed in this mess. New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James have also issued statements on the matter.
James took an opportunity to publicly acknowledge the so-called “victim” in the situation, Jane Doe, before the governor appointed her as special prosecutor in the now reopened criminal investigation. “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you,” James said.
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The statement is now at the center of a legal battle. Attorneys for the seven men filed a petition seeking James’ removal from the case, stating that her public remarks raise concerns about bias in the investigation. Hochul has defended James’ appointment, while James herself promises a fair investigation.