Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Republican Rep. Randy Fine over comments he made in response to a social media post claiming that dogs should not be allowed as pets in New York City.
Controversy arose after Fine reacted to the post from a person he described as the “leader of one of the key mainstream Muslim groups that supported” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The publication in question said: “Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets. Like we’ve said all along, they are unclean.”
Fine said that “if they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
AOC was among several Democrats who reacted, saying the publication is “genuinely one of the most disgusting statements I have ever seen issued by an American official.”
“It should not stop shocking us that the Republican Party openly embraces this. Fine should be censured & stripped of committees. To ignore this is to accept and normalize it,” she added.
Others made similar calls. “Resign now, you racist slob,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a social media publication. Elsewhere, Rep. Yassamin Ansari said that “if anyone said something this vile in any workplace, they’d be fired.”
“Randy Fine has repeatedly dehumanized Muslims without consequence. It’s unacceptable and should not be normalized by Congress.” She went on to urge House Speaker Mike Johnson to “reprimand him immediately.” “And if Fine cannot meet the most basic standard of human dignity, he should resign,” she added.
So you’re ok with this?
What’s truly disgusting is a key Mamdani advisor saying we must give up our dogs because “NYC is coming to Islam”
We will not be shamed into being conquered like the Europeans.
I choose my dog.
If you’re man enough to debate me, I’ll come on your show. https://t.co/IdeG3ioiU5 pic.twitter.com/aTKG6oC97b
— Congressman Randy Fine (@RepFine) February 16, 2026
Fine has doubled down on his stance ever since, responding to different social media publications that criticized him over the matter. “So you’re ok with this? What’s truly disgusting is a key Mamdani advisor saying we must give up our dogs because “NYC is coming to Islam.” We will not be shamed into being conquered like the Europeans. I choose my dog. If you’re man enough to debate me, I’ll come on your show,” he told CNN journalist Jake Tapper, who said the comment was “disgusting bigotry.”
He also took on Ocasio-Cortez, posting a picture of a puppy with the libertarian message “don’t tread on me” and saying “at least I know where the equator is.”
He was making reference to remarks from the lawmaker at the Munich Security Conference in which she said Venezuela is below the line dividing Earth in north and south, and for which she has taken heat online.
Originally published on Latin Times
