Remember when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) pretended to be in handcuffs for a photo op? Well, she may get to experience the real thing this time.
There is “substantial reason to believe” that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) accepted “impermissible gifts” in connection to her attendance at the Met Gala in 2021. This is according to a newly disclosed report from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE).
This board of the OCE decided unanimously last year to have an investigation into this matter due to the possible violation of House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
“The Board recommends that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Ocasio-Cortez because there is substantial reason to believe that she accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala in 2021,” the report says.
The House Committee on Ethics released the report this week and indicated that they extended the committee’s review of the matter.
AOC’s counsel, David Mitrani, said that the OCE identified delays in paying vendors for the costs of the congresswoman’s attendance at the Met Gala.
At the gala, AOC wore a “Tax the Rich” dress made by designer Aurora James.
“Even after OCE’s exhaustive review of the Congresswoman’s personal communications, there is no evidence that she ever intended to avoid these expenses. To the contrary, the record clearly shows that the Congresswoman always understood that she had to pay for these expenses personally,” Mitrani wrote in response.
The OCE said in their review that it appeared that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez may not have paid for several thousands of dollars worth of goods and services given to her the night of the gala.
The OCE report says that AOC relied on a campaign staffer to pay the bills. Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged “there was a ball that was dropped” and described the situation as “deeply regrettable,” the report says.
