She Disappeared From Queens District [WATCH]

A Democrat leader who once supported Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during her historic 2018 election win has now publicly criticized the congresswoman for neglecting her Queens community.

Ramon Ramirez Baez, an author and former Democrat committee member for New York’s 39th Assembly District, accused Ocasio-Cortez of abandoning the neighborhood she represents as it faces rising crime, open-air prostitution, and unregulated street vendors.

Residents in areas like Corona, Jackson Heights, and Elmhurst are voicing frustration over deteriorating conditions, particularly along Roosevelt Avenue.

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The street has become notorious for prostitution, with reports of sex workers openly soliciting in broad daylight.

Illegal street vendors selling unregulated goods have also taken over sidewalks, creating what some locals describe as “Third World” conditions.

Ramirez Baez, who helped Ocasio-Cortez gain traction during her underdog campaign against then-incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley, said her promises to improve the community have not materialized.

“She disappeared from my community,” Ramirez Baez told Fox News. “She never did anything for the community. Her office was always closed.”

In 2018, Ocasio-Cortez’s grassroots campaign shocked the political establishment. Ramirez Baez was instrumental in introducing her to local business owners and even funded the venue for a pivotal debate that Crowley skipped.

After her victory, he said she embraced him and promised to prioritize the neighborhood’s needs.

However, he now claims she has focused more on national media attention than addressing local issues.

“She goes all over the place, like a movie star, but what about the community?” Ramirez Baez asked, noting the lack of consistent town hall meetings or community events. A May 2023 town hall was the only one he could recall, and it reportedly restricted attendance to those pre-approved by her office.

Ramirez Baez highlighted the surge in crime under Ocasio-Cortez’s tenure, particularly the explosion of prostitution along Roosevelt Avenue.

In one instance, Fox News Digital recorded 19 suspected sex workers on a single block.

Ramirez Baez also criticized her support for progressive policies, including calls to decriminalize prostitution, which he argued have worsened the situation.

“Roosevelt Avenue has become a hub for brothels outnumbering bodegas,” Ramirez Baez wrote in an open letter to Ocasio-Cortez on October 23. “Over 70 brothels operate near schools and houses of worship. You have failed to even speak about the crime that affects our neighborhood.”

Other local residents have echoed Ramirez Baez’s concerns. Many have accused Ocasio-Cortez of being out of touch with her constituents, focusing instead on promoting a national socialist agenda.

Ramirez Baez, who now regrets his support for her, said, “If she had told me she was a socialist, I would never have supported her.”

The former supporter also linked the surge in undocumented migrants in the neighborhood to the congresswoman’s advocacy for open-border policies. “The Democrats opened the border, and that’s why we have this situation in our neighborhood,” he said.

Ramirez Baez has since shifted his political stance, voting for President-elect Donald Trump and urging others in his neighborhood to do the same, despite remaining a registered Democrat. “The American country is for the law, it’s for people who are working,” he stated.

He concluded his October letter with a scathing critique of Ocasio-Cortez’s leadership.

“Your version of socialism has been a farce. You have never delivered for your community. While you campaign for others across the country, you don’t see the severe damage your misguided positions have done to our community.”

Ramirez Baez has since founded a group called “Let’s Improve Roosevelt Ave,” advocating for increased police presence to combat crime.

His efforts contributed to the deployment of over 200 officers and state troopers to the neighborhood last month.

However, his calls for Ocasio-Cortez and other local officials to support these initiatives have gone unanswered.

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