Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., has criticized fellow Democrat and “Squad” member Rep. Jamaal Bowman for a profanity-filled outburst at a rally hosted with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Torres described Bowman’s tirade as “unhinged” and “unbecoming of a Member of Congress.”
“The level of profanity here is so shocking as to be unbecoming of a Member of Congress,” Torres commented on X (formerly Twitter). He further stated, “There is nothing in Jamaal Bowman’s unhinged tirade that remotely resembles the decency of the people I know and represent in the South Bronx.”
Bowman’s speech, delivered at St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven, Bronx, targeted the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Political Action Committee (AIPAC). The pro-Israel advocacy group is supporting his Democratic primary challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “We are going to show f—ing AIPAC the power of the motherf—ing South Bronx!” Bowman exclaimed. He defended his use of strong language, saying, “People ask me why I got a foul mouth. What am I supposed to do? You’re coming after me! You’re coming after my family! You’re coming after my children! I’m not supposed to fight back?” He added, “We’re going to show them who the f— we are!”
The rally also featured Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who both expressed strong support for Bowman. As he lags behind Latimer by double digits in the polls, they hoped to boost his standing ahead of Tuesday’s primary for New York’s 16th congressional district, covering Westchester County and parts of the Bronx. In a viral moment, Ocasio-Cortez forcefully expressed her support, energetically banging the podium and knocking over microphones while speaking over explicit lyrics from a Cardi B song. Bowman, in a yellow T-shirt with rolled-up sleeves, at one point waved a wooden stool and led the crowd in chanting, “Cease-fire now, cease-fire now.”
Bowman faces a challenging re-election campaign amid internal Democratic Party tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict. High-profile endorsements for Latimer include former Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., and Hillary Clinton.
Torres has yet to endorse a candidate in the primary. However, he mentioned last week that he generally avoids intervening in races against fellow Congressional Democrats unless they attack him. “But Bowman’s gratuitous attack on my character might cause me to rethink that rule. Stay tuned,” Torres said.
