Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is feeling some heat after a bipartisan House Ethics Committee revealed on Wednesday that the Democratic Congresswoman is under investigation.
“Pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(8)(A), and Committee Rules 17A(b)(1)(A), 17A(c)(1), and 17A(j), the Acting Chairwoman and Acting Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics have jointly decided to extend the matter regarding Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which was transmitted to the Committee by the Office of Congressional Ethics on June 23, 2022,” a statement released by the Committee says. “The Committee notes that the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee.”
The statement also indicated that the Committee will announce the course of action it plans to take following the organizational meeting and adoption of the Committee Rules in the 118th Congress.
AOC maintains that she did not do anything unethical and that she works to ensure that she complies with House ethics rules. A spokesperson for the congresswoman said that AOC has taken ethics “incredibly seriously,” and that she has refused any donations from lobbyists or other special interests.
But the House Ethics Committee does not usually forward an investigation unless they have good reason to believe that ethics laws have been broken.
AOC has been in the spotlight for misuse of campaign funds. She attended the MET Gala in September 2021, where entry tickets cost $35,000. After the event, speculation swirled about whether an investigation would be launched and a complaint was filed by the American Accountability Foundation.
AOC claimed her attendance to the $ 35,000-a-plate event was part of her “official duties,” and that prompted questions about who purchased her ticket. A simple reading of House Rules indicates that she violated the longstanding gift rule, clause 5 of Rule XXV.
AOC was extremely dismissive of the whole situation, but now, she is going to have to deal with this investigation.
