FLASHBACK: Former AOC aide challenging Pelosi wore shirt depicting Nazi collaborator
Former aide Saikat Chakrabarti, who previously worked for Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, sparked controversy after images resurfaced showing him wearing a shirt depicting Nazi collaborator Subhas Chandra Bose. Chakrabarti managed Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign in 2018 and served as her chief of staff before leaving amid public criticism of Democratic lawmakers.
The photos of Chakrabarti wearing the shirt with Bose’s face were taken after Ocasio-Cortez won her first election and were shared in a video interview discussing the congresswoman’s political career. Bose, an Indian nationalist, supported socialist policies in the late 1930s and 1940s, but also collaborated with the Axis Powers during World War II, meeting with Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo.
Despite the controversy surrounding the images, Chakrabarti announced his candidacy for the House seat currently held by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a statement, he criticized the Democratic Party’s leadership, calling them “paralyzed and unprepared” after the Trump era. Pelosi, who filed paperwork to run for a 21st term in the upcoming election cycle, is set to seek re-election despite Chakrabarti’s challenge.
During his time working for Ocasio-Cortez, Chakrabarti also faced backlash for a tweet criticizing Rep. Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women in Congress, for voting in favor of a Senate border bill not supported by progressives.
As the political landscape continues to shift, Chakrabarti’s decision to run against Pelosi highlights the ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
