AOC grandmother play backfires

Business Insider reports:

A right-wing writer crowdfunded over $100,000 after launching a campaign for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s grandmother.

Matt Walsh, a writer with conservative outlet the Daily Wire, began the GoFundMe on Friday after criticizing Ocasio-Cortez for “allowing” her grandma to live in dire conditions.

Ocasio-Cortez earlier this week tweeted out that her grandma is ill and hasn’t yet received hurricane relief in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which hit the US territory more than three years ago. In her tweet slamming former President Donald Trump over delayed relief in Puerto Rico, the New York lawmaker shared photos showing bare living quarters with ceiling tiles peeling off and buckets set up around a room to catch dripping water.

“This is her home. Hurricane María relief hasn’t arrived. Trump blocked relief $ for PR,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.

So AOC tried to use her grandmother’s leaky house as an attack weapon and people pointed out that as she is on US$174,000 (NZ$241,000) she could help her grandmother out.

Walsh targeted Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist, by accusing her of “virtue-signaling” and living large while her family needs help.

“Shameful that you live in luxury while allowing your own grandmother to suffer in these squalid conditions,” Walsh tweeted in response to Ocasio-Cortez.

Within hours of going live, Walsh’s campaign reached its goal of $48,990. Ocasio-Cortez’s grandmother has declined to accept the money, according to Walsh, who spoke with Insider. The campaign raised over $104,000 before GoFundMe shut it down, he said, and the money will be returned in full to each donor.

But even better they then launched a fundraiser for her grandmother and raised over $100,000 in a few hours for her, so she could could fix her leaky house.

AOC of course got the fundraiser cancelled, but I doubt she will use her family as props for an attack again.