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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says She Feared Some Police Might Reveal Her Location During Jan. 6 Riot

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

During the chaos of the pro-Trump Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, many of the lawmakers inside the building were escorted by Capitol Police to a secure location, where they sheltered in place until the threat passed.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wasn't one of them.

This week, Ocasio-Cortez admitted part of the reason she didn't stay in a secure location was because she feared her whereabouts would be revealed to rioters, perhaps by the officers themselves. (She has previously said she was in her office, in a building adjacent to the Capitol, when the rioting began and later went to stay with a colleague.)

In a lengthy report this week by McClatchy, the newspaper chain, about disciplinary actions taken against some officers for taking selfies with rioters — designated "conduct unbecoming" — during the Jan. 6 riot, an anonymous friend of an officer is quoted from documents that describe his interview with investigators.

The friend reportedly called an FBI tip line to report the officer for revealing information about the secure location where he helped lead lawmakers.

Ocasio-Cortez responded to a portion of the report on Twitter on Wednesday.

RELATED: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Sought Therapy After 'Extraordinarily Traumatizing' Capitol Riots

New York City congressional nominee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez holds campaign event in The Bronx, USA - 03 Oct 2018
New York City congressional nominee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez holds campaign event in The Bronx, USA - 03 Oct 2018

ALBA VIGARAY/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

"There were several reasons I refused to stay in the 'secure location' on the 6th. This was one of them," she wrote. "Few people want to discuss the reality and implications of this because it's politically difficult, fraught, and unpopular, but it's right there. And we need to talk about it."

The McClatchy report cited the friend's quote from the documents obtained by the outlet.

"I don't want to report a friend of forty years but he's says enough concerning statements that I feel like I need to do this... he's just fallen into this cult and these beliefs," the anonymous tipster said later when interviewed by Capitol Police.

The paper also reported that the officer in question admitted he may have inadvertently revealed information about the secure location but denied he was sympathetic to the rioters.

capitol coup
capitol coup

Samuel Corum/Getty Rioters at the U.S. Capitol

"I can't say one hundred percent that I didn't do what you're telling me I did," the office reportedly said.

RELATED: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Slams Ted Cruz, Alleges He Endangered Her Safety: 'You Can Resign'

Ocasio-Cortez has talked previously about the fear she experienced during the riots, telling CNN's Dana Bash last month, "I didn't think that I was just going to be killed," before adding, "I thought other things were going to happen to me as well."

Asked then if she feared she was going to be sexually assaulted, the New York lawmaker told Bash, "Yeah, yeah. I thought I was."