Jill Stein slams Democratic efforts to 'silence competition,’ says they are ‘not servants of democracy'

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein slammed the Democratic Party and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for criticizing her ballot access as a third party contender.

"The Democrats have really made a mockery out of themselves. They are not the servants of democracy," Stein told The Hill last week.

Stein, a physician and climate change advocate, added that the "Democrats have lost their own base and their effort to silence competition is outrageous."

She said the Democratic Party hired an "army of lawyers to throw" the Green Party off the ballot by challenging them in three states. 

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein waits to speak at a news conference on Fifth Avenue across the street from Trump Tower December 5, 2016, in New York City. Stein, who has launched recount efforts in Michigan and Wisconsin, spoke about demanding a statewide recount on constitutional grounds in Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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The Nevada Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Stein will not appear on the presidential ballot due to failing to meet the state's minor party qualifiers.

On the other hand, the Green Party in August claimed victory after the Wisconsin state Supreme Court decided not to hear the Democrats' effort to oust her on the ballot. The court's decision could be a blow for Democrats as Wisconsin is a crucial swing state in the upcoming election. 

Stein’s 2016 presidential bid was criticized by some Democrats who argued she siphoned valuable votes away from Hillary Clinton. Stein received 1.07% of the popular vote in 2016 and 0.36% of the popular vote in 2012.

Stein responded directly to Ocasio-Cortez's post on Instagram where she criticized the Green Party. 

Ocasio-Cortez took issue with Stein’s persistence in running, citing that the third party contender does "not add city council seats, state electives, and down ballot candidates." 

The progressive firebrand explained further that Stein has not pursued "any successful strategy," nor grown her party and merely shows "up once every four years to speak to people who are justifiably pissed off."

"That's bad leadership," the New York lawmaker added.

Green party nominee Jill Stein speaks during a campaign rally at the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture on October 12, 2016 in New York City. Jill Stein and her running mate Ajamu Baraka are campaigning in New York. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Ocasio-Cortez said that she previously ran as a third party candidate, particularly a "Working Families Party candidate" and has criticized the "two-party system."

"You're not serious… to me it does not read as authentic, it reads as predatory," Ocasio-Cortez said.

Stein responded, "The Democrats have not succeeded in their extremely predatory tactics of silencing political opposition, silencing voters, denying voters the choices that they are clamoring for. She just kind of makes a mockery of the anti-democratic party in pretty much her whole message in the way it was delivered."

Stein announced her bid to seek the Green Party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election last November.

It will be Stein’s third time running for president, having been unsuccessful in 2012 and 2016.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, speaks during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. ((Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images))

Stein added that Democrats are "worried" that American voters are "in a state of rebellion."

"And our campaign is the one anti-genocide, anti-war, climate emergency, pro-worker campaign which is turning out to be on the ballot across the country," Stein said.

Joshua Q. Nelson is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

Joshua focuses on politics, education policy ranging from the local to the federal level, and the parental uprising in education.

Joining Fox News Digital in 2019, he previously graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Political Science and is an alum of the National Journalism Center and the Heritage Foundation's Young Leaders Program. 

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