Rep. Pressley says some attacks on 'The Squad' are racist: "It’s nothing new"
Who?
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
LISTEN: Laslo & Pressley
Ask a Pol asks:
Is the Squad hurting these days?
Key Pressley:
“Let me just say this: we’re used to being targeted. We’re doing transformative work disrupting the status quo and we’re all BIPOC. It’s nothing new,” Pressley told Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo. “You know, what we’re hurting from? We’re hurting from, our communities are hurting because we’re … in this dysfunctional place and we’re not lifting up, centering and working on the things that matter to them.”
Go Deeper:
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Ayanna Pressley
Matt Laslo: “Look at this young lady.”
Rep. Pressley laughs.
Ayanna Pressley: “How you doing?”
ML: “Livin’ the dream.”
Rep. Pressley laughs.
AP: “I know, that’s right.”
ML: “So is, is the Squad hurting these days? A couple of y’all are getting primaried…”
Rep. Pressley laughs.
AP: “Let me just say this: we’re used to being targeted. We’re doing transformative work disrupting the status quo and we’re all BIPOC. It’s nothing new.”
ML: “Yeah? Yeah.”
AP: “You know what we’re hurting from? We’re hurting from, our communities are hurting because we’re not here in this — we’re in this dysfunctional place, and we’re not lifting up, centering and working on the things that matter to them.”
ML: “Yeah?”
AP: “Like housing.”
ML: “That’s why I was just talking to [Rep. Emanuel] Cleaver (D-MO). He was like, ‘The Squad members on my committee they’re so serious and in the books, and it’s so different from what you see on TV, especially Fox.’ Where they piñata y’all.”
AP: “Yeah. Yeah.”
ML: “Or try to.”
AP: “Yeah, nah. We’re good.”
Rep. Pressley laughs.
ML: “Yeah, right?”
AP: “Focus on the people. That’s it.”
ML: “Yeah? All I got for you, I know you gotta run. ‘Preciate ya, ma’am.”
AP: “Okay. Thank you!”
ML: “Good to see ya.”
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