Former baseball player Curt Schilling ripped into Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday, calling her the “most unintelligent person, man or woman, in our government.”
Schilling’s tweet was a response to Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet about outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan that implied sexism as the reason why Ocasio-Cortez and Ryan were treated differently, despite being elected to congress at roughly the same age. (RELATED: Kellyanne Conway Snaps At Ocasio-Cortez For Calling Gen. John Kelly A ‘Coward.’)
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. https://t.co/KipcyHaaAb
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 10, 2018
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. You are a college graduate and likely the most unintelligent person, man or woman, in our government.
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) December 11, 2018
Following Schilling’s comments, Democratic Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline took to Twitter to defend Ocasio-Cortez while also accusing the ex-MLB pitcher of tax evasion in his home-state, a charge Schilling denied.
Don’t owe you a dime. And the state screwed the deal because they keep electing asshats like you. A chip off the Lincoln Chaffee block. https://t.co/ux4NHrTC2K
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) December 12, 2018
A six-time All-Star, Schilling spent two decades as a pitcher in the MLB, and has always been outspoken about his generally conservative political beliefs, both during his career, and after it. Some of his beliefs are considered highly controversial.
Despite his success, Schilling has not been inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame, with some speculating that his political beliefs might be the reason for his continued exclusion.