Charlie Kirk: Ocasio-Cortez 'the most powerful Democrat in office'

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Charlie Kirk on AOC's concentration camp comments

Charlie Kirk on AOC's concentration camp comments

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., may not be in House leadership, but she is still the most powerful Democratic lawmaker in office, according to Charlie Kirk.

The lack of intraparty blowback against Ocasio-Cortez for comparing detention facilities along the U.S.-Mexico border to concentration camps is evidence of this, he claimed Tuesday on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle."

"Immediately, when she says something that is historically wrong or morally incorrect, or something that's totally detestable, anyone who calls her out for that or criticizes her, all of a sudden we are attacking her," the Turning Point USA founder told host Laura Ingraham.

"Isn't that strange? We can't have a conversation on something she said wrong without saying 'Republicans pounce'," he said.

ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: THE U.S. IS 'RUNNING CONCENTRATION CAMPS ON OUR SOUTHERN BORDER'

"Let's just be very honest. She is basically the most powerful Democrat in office right now in America."

Kirk claimed the Bronx congresswoman's presence on Instagram and other online platforms shows she can draw more attention than some in her party.

"If you really think about it, she has more social media power, she's able to draw crowds," he said.

"Most of the Democrats - they couldn't fill up this crowd if they paid people. They can't fill up coffee shops," Kirk continued, speaking from the Amway Center in Orlando, where President Trump held a large rally Tuesday night.

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Kirk attributed Ocasio-Cortez's popularity to the fact she often appears "angry" and favors ideas popular among the party's more liberal base.

"She has the power of the base of the party because she is angry and she's committed toward these radical ideas."

Regarding her comments about concentration camps, Kirk said the New York Democrat should feel "shame."

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Ocasio-Cortez told her Instagram followers Monday the U.S. government is "running concentration camps on our southern border."

"That is exactly what they are. They are concentration camps," Ocasio-Cortez said during a live-stream that was viewed by Fox News.

"The fact that concentrations camps are now an institutionalized practice in the Home of the Free is extraordinarily disturbing and we need to do something about it," the freshman Democrat continued.

Fox News' Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.