Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Friday said Republican lawmakers were making fools of themselves in their bids to defend Donald Trump amid the impeachment inquiry against the president.

Theyre really beclowning themselves at this point trying to somehow find a way to both preserve their careers and their futures while protecting this president, she told MSNBCs Chris Hayes . And [thats] not possible and theyre going with the latter.

Hayes asked Ocasio-Cortez to explain what the stakes were with Trump.

Yeah, its bad. Its really bad. Its not normal bad, it is threat to the republic and to the order of American society bad and if we dont hold this accountable, then we really erode rule of law in the United States Of America, she replied.