An under-the-radar announcement was made on Wednesday that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is now under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
The notification was made via an official statement by the chairwoman and ranking member (i.e. a Democrat and Republican), noting that the law requires disclosure and does not prove guilt. Here’s how it reads.
This is more than just an acknowledgment of a referral, which can be made against anyone. By granting an extension to the case, the committee is essentially saying that they see enough evidence to pursue a full-blown investigation. Where that leads, I have no idea, but it’s a pretty big deal that one of the Democrats’ biggest stars is now being credibly accused of ethics violations.
Speculation is now running wild over what this could be about. Some are saying it has to do with the “tax the rich” dress that Ocasio-Cortez wore to the Met Gala. There were rumors at the time that she was given the dress and the seats to the gala, which could constitute improper gifts under ethics and campaign finance regulations.
The American Accountability Foundation had previously filed a complaint along those lines, noting that seats at the event cost between $35,000-$50,000. Ocasio-Cortez has often poor-mouthed about her congressional salary so it seems improbable that she paid for the tickets and dress with her own money. Where’d she get them from? Or did she use campaign funds to pay for them, which would also be illegal? No record of a granted exemption, which she could have theoretically requested, exists.
Notably, this issue is being pushed forward to the 118th Congress, which means Republicans will control the Ethics Committee and this investigation. Hopefully, that means a thorough one will get done and that this won’t be buried.
Ocasio-Cortez replied by denying any wrongdoing through her spokesperson, stating confidence that the matter will be dismissed.
I guess we’ll see about that, won’t we? Certainly, there’s something very sketchy about the way Ocasio-Cortez lives like a celebrity while making less than $200,000 a year. This could open up a big can of worms for the congresswoman. Pass the popcorn.