Jessica Chasmar, The Washington Times, April 3, 2020

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declared Friday that inequality is a preexisting health condition and that minority and low-income communities should receive coronavirus relief in the form of reparations.

“COVID deaths are disproportionately spiking in Black + Brown communities,” the New York democratic socialist tweeted to her 6.6 million followers. “Why? Because the chronic toll of redlining, environmental racism, wealth gap, etc. ARE underlying health conditions.

“Inequality is a comorbidity,” she wrote. “COVID relief should be drafted with a lens of reparations.”

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On Tuesday, she slammed Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo for suspending mortgage payments but not rent payments during the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, he halted evictions for 90 days, though renters will still be responsible for missed payments.

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“There’s absolutely … racial and class inequities baked into the crisis,” she said. “If you are able to stay home. You are a privileged person in this moment.”

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