AOC, Jeffries remain silent on Democrat backlash after saying anti-trans athlete bill empowers child predators

Podcast host Riley Gaines joined 'Fox & Friends' to discuss why she considers far-left criticism of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act 'theatrical performance.'

After alienating Democratic voters with unsubstantiated claims that the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would empower child predators to give genital examinations to young girls, the two most prominent figures on the left in the House of Representatives are not addressing the issue. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. were among 206 Democrats who voted against a bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing against girls and women last week. 

Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez pushed the unsubstantiated claims it would subject girls to genital examinations by child predators. No language exists in the bill suggesting genital examinations would occur, and Republicans argued proof of birth sex could be determined by a birth certificate. 

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Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez have not responded to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital regarding their arguments, subsequent backlash from Democratic voters who have said they are leaving the party in response to the arguments and data that suggests that a majority of Democrats oppose transgender inclusion in women's sports. 

However, Ocasio-Cortez addressed the idea of culture wars about transgender people being a distraction during an interview on "The Daily Show" Thursday.

"When we allow ourselves to constantly be distracted by these culture wars around trans people, it's a new thing every day, and the answer isn't that we just let those people be attacked, it's that we say,