Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggests without evidence that a Republican congressman is ‘likely’ loaning guns to violent criminals in heated gun control exchange

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attacked her Republican House colleague, Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, in a tweet on Wednesday, lambasting the conservative's opposition to background checks for gun purchasers. 
• Crenshaw said on Wednesday that he opposes universal background checks because they'd prevent him from lending his handgun to friends for self-defense. 
• Crenshaw's tweet sparked criticism from gun control advocates who argued Crenshaw shouldn't lend his weapon to people who can't pass background checks. But Crenshaw didn't say his friends couldn't pass a background check, rather that they hadn't. 
• Ocasio-Cortez then accused Crenshaw, without evidence, of lending his weapon to people who "likely" have a "violent criminal record."
• "You are a member of Congress. Why are you 'lending' guns to people unsupervised who can't pass a basic background check?" Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "The people you're giving a gun to have likely abused their spouse or have a violent criminal record, & you may not know it. Why on earth would you do that?" 
• Crenshaw later defended himself against Ocasio-Cortez's charge that his friends can't pass background checks and argued that many Americans loan their weapons for "self defense and hunting purposes." 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attacked her Republican House colleague, Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, in a tweet on Wednesday, lambasting the conservative's opposition to background checks for gun purchasers.

Ocasio-Cortez also accused Crenshaw, without evidence, of lending his weapon to people who "likely" have a "violent criminal record."

Crenshaw said on Wednesday that he opposes universal background checks because they'd prevent him from lending his handgun to friends for self-defense. 

Retweeting a story about a woman who successfully fought off several attackers by shooting at least one, Crenshaw wrote, "Situations like this story are why we protect the 2nd Amendment." 

He went on, "With universal background checks, I wouldn't be able to let my friends borrow my handgun when they travel alone like this. We would make felons out of people just for defending themselves.

Crenshaw's tweet sparked criticism from gun control advocates online and the New York congresswoman chimed in on Wednesday morning. Ocasio-Cortez argued that it's irresponsible for the Republican to lend his weapon to people who can't pass background checks. But Crenshaw didn't say his friends couldn't pass a background check, rather that they hadn't. 

Read more: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Greta Thunberg want everyone to fly less to fight climate change. Germany and Sweden are already embracing the 'flight shame' movement.

"You are a member of Congress. Why are you 'lending' guns to people unsupervised who can't pass a basic background check?" Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "The people you're giving a gun to have likely abused their spouse or have a violent criminal record, & you may not know it. Why on earth would you do that?" 

Crenshaw defended himself against Ocasio-Cortez's charge, tweeting later on Wednesday, "Just so I'm clear: you think my friends are domestic abusers/criminals? Seriously that's your argument? That they can't pass a background check? Wrong. People lend guns to friends, esp if they don't own a gun, for self-defense and hunting purposes." 

He added, "This is America outside NYC." 

The New Yorker was quick to fire back, sticking to her original interpretation of Crenshaw's tweet: that his friends wouldn't be able to pass a background check. 

"You said w/ universal background checks, you wouldn't be able to 'lend' guns to friends. If a background check would be a problem, then you shouldn't 'lend' a gun,"she wrote, adding "And btw, NY is one of the safest states in the country when it comes to guns, incl rural areas. Try to keep up." 

Ocasio-Cortez and Crenshaw have exchanged barbs before, including when the New Yorker attacked her colleague's refusal to support the 9/11 Victims' Compensation bill. 

SEE ALSO: Gun control advocates are outraged over a Michigan high school spending $48 million on curved hallways and 'wing-walls' to prevent mass shootings

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why the US border facilities are 'concentration camps,' according to historians