Paul Ryan recalls AOC’s response to his advice: ‘She didn’t listen to a thing I said’

While speaking at an event this Tuesday, former GOP Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) didn’t give much weight to advice he gave her for her new role as a member of Congress.

During an interview at the annual dinner for Forward Jainesville, a community organization based in his hometown, Ryan talked about an encounter he had with AOC just after her election victory last year.

“I talked to her, AOC — everybody calls her AOC … She’s the youngest person now there,” Ryan said. “I gave her just a few little tips on just being a good member of Congress … I don’t think she really listened to a thing I said.”

As the audience laughed, Ryan went on to describe his advice to her.

“Take it easy, just watch things for a while, don’t ruffle any — see how it works first,” he added.

This January, Ryan left Congress after declining to run for reelection.

AOC has been a vocal critic of Ryan’s economic policies. In December, she called out the media for what she said were “double standards” when it came to coverage of him versus her.

“Double standards are Paul Ryan being elected at 28 and immediately being given the benefit of his ill-considered policies considered genius; and me winning a primary at 28 to immediately be treated with suspicion & scrutinized, down to my clothing, of being a fraud,” Ocasio-Cortez she tweeted.

The tweet drew pushback from some conservatives, one of whom was former baseball player Curt Schilling, who called her the most “unintelligent person, man or woman, in our government.”

“No. You are being scrutinized and treated with suspicion because every time you speak you say something more stupid than the last time you spoke,” Schilling tweeted in response to AOC. “You are a college graduate and likely the most unintelligent person, man or woman, in our government.”

Featured image: nrkbeta/Gage Skidmore (Flickr)

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.