Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezOn The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins Anxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid MORE (D-N.Y.) noted Wednesday that opponents of the civil rights movement in the 1960s frequently attacked proponents of integration as communists.

“Calling people who believe in democracy, civil + economic rights, and racial justice 'communist' has a long + rich history w/ white supremacy in the US,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.

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“It was one of the preferred smears against integrating schools, & one of the main attacks segregationists used against MLK Jr.,” she added, linking to a tweet by The Nation’s Jeet Heer noting that conservative magazine National Review frequently applied the label to King.

Calling people who believe in democracy, civil + economic rights, and racial justice “communist” has a long + rich history w/ white supremacy in the US.



It was one of the preferred smears against integrating schools, & one of the main attacks segregationists used against MLK Jr: https://t.co/pNdpD8sjWY pic.twitter.com/mTRNj4jjJA — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 17, 2019

Ocasio-Cortez included an image with her tweet of protesters at the Arkansas state capitol who opposed the integration of Central High School in Little Rock in 1959. One of the demonstrators carries a sign reading “RACE MIXING IS COMMUNISM.”

The tweet comes amid continued fallout from a series of tweets in which President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE told Ocasio-Cortez and three other progressive congresswomen of color – Reps. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.), Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise MORE (D-Minn.) and Ayanna Pressley Ayanna PressleyFauci, Black Lives Matter founders included on Time's 100 Most Influential People list Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Pressley applauded on House floor after moving speech on living with alopecia MORE (D-Mass.) – to “go back” to other countries. All four are U.S. citizens and opponents of the group have frequently used the term "socialist" in attacking them.

Amid outrage over the tweets, Trump has doubled down and defended them by claiming the four “hate America." He also tweeted a comment Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) made on "Fox & Friends" calling them communists and anti-Semites. The House voted Tuesday to condemn the tweets in a largely party-line vote, with four Republicans and independent Rep. Justin Amash Justin AmashInternal Democratic poll shows tight race in contest to replace Amash Centrist Democrats 'strongly considering' discharge petition on GOP PPP bill On The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president MORE (Mich.) joining every Democrat.