A review of disbursements by the Ocasio-Cortez 2018 campaign reveals a clear inclination to choose air travel over rail for long-distances and personal vehicles over public transit for local trips.
Total disbursements to airlines totaled $20,490 to at least six different carriers for at least 39 trips. Disbursements for rail travel (Amtrak) totaled $3,147 for at least ten trips.
For short distance travel, the campaign utilized the car services Lyft, Juno, and Uber to the tune of $14,288, while disbursements for the Metro totaled $5,368.
During the rollout of the Green New Deal during the first week of February, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's office released several versions of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about the Green New Deal. The version provided to a number of news outlets, including NPR, lists goals of the Green New Deal movement. One of those goals:
"Totally overhaul transportation by massively expanding electric vehicle manufacturing, build charging stations everywhere, build out high-speed rail at a scale where air travel stops becoming necessary, create affordable public transit available to all, with goal to replace every combustion-engine vehicle."
The uproar over the FAQs prompted various denials, clarifications and retractions by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's advisors and staff, but while supporters have walked back the language regarding air travel, the Resolution's call for "meeting 100 percent of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources" would necessarily drastically reduce air travel unless a feasible and cost-effective alternative to jet fuel is developed.
In June 2018, Fox News reported that, despite linking the rise of ride sharing services such as Uber to the "financial ruin" and even "suicide" of yellow cab drivers, the Ocasio-Cortez used Uber and Juno frequently. At that point, the campaign had spent about $6,500 between the two companies. By the end of the election cycle, that total (also including Lyft) had more than doubled to $14,288. (There are no expenses in the Ocasio-Cortez 2018 FEC database of disbursements for "taxi" service. One expense for $26.75 is labeled "cab service," but the vendor name listed is "Juno USA.")
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's office did not respond to a request from The Script for comment on the disbursements or on the nature of or destinations of the trips involving air travel versus rail travel.
In June 2018, Fox News reported that, despite linking the rise of ride sharing services such as Uber to the "financial ruin" and even "suicide" of yellow cab drivers, the Ocasio-Cortez used Uber and Juno frequently. At that point, the campaign had spent about $6,500 between the two companies. By the end of the election cycle, that total (also including Lyft) had more than doubled to $14,288. (There are no expenses in the Ocasio-Cortez 2018 FEC database of disbursements for "taxi" service. One expense for $26.75 is labeled "cab service," but the vendor name listed is "Juno USA.")
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's office did not respond to a request from The Script for comment on the disbursements or on the nature of or destinations of the trips involving air travel versus rail travel.
