AOC Dubbed Delusional for Suggesting Subway Riders Should Fear Daniel Penny – JP
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is facing intense backlash after suggesting that New York City subway riders should fear Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran acquitted of all charges related to the death of Jordan Neely. Critics labeled the Democrat lawmaker’s comments as “delusional” and accused her of pandering to far-left supporters.
Penny, 26, was acquitted by a Manhattan jury on Monday, which found him not guilty of criminally negligent homicide. The judge also dismissed the manslaughter charge. Penny’s actions in subduing Neely, who was threatening passengers on a subway train in May 2023, were ruled to have been justified.
In a resurfaced clip, Ocasio-Cortez reacted to Penny’s previous remarks in which he stated he would act again to protect others if faced with a clear and present danger. She claimed Penny’s lack of remorse made him a risk to the public.
“If we do not want violence on the subways and the point of our justice system is a level of accountability to prevent a person who does not have remorse about taking another person’s life,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I mean even people who have engaged in manslaughter or have taken a life accidentally express remorse.” She added, “The fact that a person has expressed no remorse indicates a risk that it may happen again. And if we do not want to unleash that level of violence then we should exert a level of accountability to prevent that from happening.”
Penny had told reporters in May 2023 that he would act similarly if a threat arose again, saying, “I would — if there was a threat and danger in the present.”
Social media users and critics condemned Ocasio-Cortez’s comments, arguing that her stance undermines the safety of subway riders. One user mocked her claim, stating, “They should rename that the Daniel Penny line. The only safe subway in New York.”
Another user criticized Ocasio-Cortez’s motives: “AOC is just saying what she’s supposed to say in order to appease her woke far left and BLM supporters. No honest person believes we need fewer people willing to step up and protect workers and children from being assaulted on the subway.”
The controversy highlights a broader debate over public safety and the role of individuals like Penny who step in to protect others during violent incidents.