After democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) revealed this week that her abuela is living in a dilapidated home — a situation she laid at the feet of former President Donald Trump — Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh launched a GoFundMe account to raise money to save her home.
“Just over a week ago, my abuela fell ill,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Wednesday. “I went to Puerto Rico to see her — my 1st time in a year+ bc of COVID. This is her home. Hurricane María relief hasn’t arrived. Trump blocked relief $ for PR. People are being forced to flee ancestral homes, & developers are taking them.”
After a back and forth online between Walsh and Ocasio-Cortez — in which the podcast host questioned why the congresswoman, who earns more than $170,000 annually and owns a $35,000 Tesla, had not helped out her grandmother financially — Walsh took action.
“As you’ve heard, [AOC]’s abuela is living in a dilapidated home that was ravaged by Hurricane Maria,” Walsh posted on Twitter Friday. “AOC is unable to help her own grandma for whatever reason, so I have set up this Go Fund Me campaign to save her home. Please give if you can #HelpAbuela.”
Walsh challenged Daily Wire co-founders Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing and podcast host Micheal Knowles to match his donation to the campaign.
“I will kick things off by donating $499, which happens to be the cost of a monthly lease payment for a Tesla. I challenge @benshapiro, @michaeljknowles, and @JeremyDBoreing to match this donation. Together we can change the world,” Walsh posted.
I will kick things off by donating $499, which happens to be the cost of a monthly lease payment for a Tesla. I challenge @benshapiro @michaeljknowles and @JeremyDBoreing to match this donation. Together we can change the world.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 4, 2021
The Daily Wire crew, including Daily Wire host Candace Owens, accepted the challenge and got other conservatives involved, too:
I'll do my part and make a Tesla Model 3 lease payment to help AOC's grandma fix her roof. Will you @RealCandaceO? Will you @scrowder? Will you @charliekirk11? https://t.co/9T3hIogUDv
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) June 4, 2021
So great to see people stepping up to save @AOC’s abuela’s ancestral home since the wealthy congresswoman can’t be bothered to help. $499 from me!
I nominate @AdamCarolla, @DanBongino, and @ElonMusk to keep the momentum going! #HelpAbuelahttps://t.co/G08Nn98YNZ https://t.co/LdT8oPTSDa
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) June 4, 2021
I just donated $499, the monthly lease payment for a Tesla, to help AOC's grandmother fix her home. I challenge @glennbeck, @scrowder and @ClayTravis to do the same. Let's heal the world. https://t.co/q9pE00yEnB https://t.co/9EkXofsYkf
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 4, 2021
I’m in! 499 pledged from Candace to @AOC ‘s grandmother so that she can live like her granddaughter lives, while blaming Trump. https://t.co/ZmXMJLEAnE
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 4, 2021
Within one hour, The Daily Wire and other conservatives raised a stunning $17,000-plus for AOC’s grandmother.
“Conservatives believe in voluntarism, compassion, and generosity, and they proved it again today,” Shapiro told The Daily Wire.
Screenshot via GoFundMe
The fund is still exploding online, as is the hashtag #HelpAbuela.
Yes. #HelpAbuela. https://t.co/JXOgbCs6A2
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) June 4, 2021
Walsh wrote the following in the text of the GoFundMe:
On June 2nd, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reported to Twitter that her dear abuela has fallen ill and continues to live in squalid conditions since her home was ravaged by Hurricane María.
One cannot be certain of the cost to repair grandma’s house, but surely most of the work could be completed for the price of AOC’s shiny Tesla Model 3.
As AOC pointed out to us, we “don’t even have a concept for the role that [incredibly successful children of two American citizens…] play in their families,” but clearly caring for their own grandparent isn’t part of it.
Says the congresswoman, “…instead of only caring for [my own grandmother] & letting others suffer, I’m calling attention to the systemic injustices…”
No, seriously. She really said that.
Sadly, virtue-signaling isn’t going to fix abuela’s roof. So we are.
Let’s all kick in to help save AOC’s abuela’s ancestral home. Any amount is appreciated, but the cost of a monthly lease payment on that Tesla is around $499…
All proceeds will be donated to abuela, if she will accept them.
View the related tweets, below:
Shameful that you live in luxury while allowing your own grandmother to suffer in these squalid conditions
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 2, 2021
You don’t even have a concept for the role that 1st-gen, first-born daughters play in their families.
My abuela is okay. But instead of only caring for mine & letting others suffer, I’m calling attention to the systemic injustices you seem totally fine w/ in having a US colony. https://t.co/QN0ZVoyDt2
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2021
Related: Candace Owens Slams AOC For Using Grandma To ‘Score Political Points’