The recent profile of New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) in Politico has raised several questions about her future plans, and her response to a reporter asking about her intention to challenge fellow New York Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for one of New York’s Senate seats was less than cordial.
AOC told the reporter not to ask her that question, before telling the publication to “print that” response. This reluctance to answer raises concerns about AOC’s political ambitions and her intentions for the future.
In addition, the House Office of Congressional Ethics discovered that there is “substantial reason to believe” that AOC violated federal law by accepting “impermissible gifts” related to her attendance at the 2021 Met Gala. Her attire, which included a dress with “Tax the Rich” emblazoned across the back, went viral on social media. However, it seems that her clothing choice may have resulted in a violation of House rules and federal law, as the bipartisan Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics has found.
AOC doesn’t rule out challenging Gillibrand, tells reporter ‘don’t ask me that question’ https://t.co/D2BEgiAwDn
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 3, 2023
According to MSN, the Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics stated that “The Board finds that there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala. Accordingly, the Board recommends that the Committee further review the above allegation that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala.” The total cost of her dress, shoes, and handbag rental was $2,283, and the committee discovered that she had not paid the invoice until after the investigation had begun.
Furthermore, AOC’s rent and accessories were provided by Brother Vellies, who presented her campaign staffer with a bill for the rental cost of $1,200, but later reduced it to $300. The committee interviewed the campaign staffer about the inconsistency, but they were unable to explain it. Brother Vellies refused to cooperate with the committee, and the transportation company paid the unpaid bills related to AOC’s gown rental, transportation, room rental, shoes, and bowtie rented by AOC’s boyfriend.
AOC’s ‘Tax the Rich’ Met Gala appearance likely violated law: ethics panel https://t.co/yGD6RZScap pic.twitter.com/BQ9UNq2wlC
— New York Post (@nypost) March 2, 2023
These findings suggest that AOC may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law by accepting these impermissible gifts. Her spokesperson has denied any wrongdoing, but it is apparent that AOC rented the dress for the event, as well as accessories and hair and makeup services that she did not pay for until the investigation was launched against her.
As a Congresswoman, AOC must abide by the highest ethical standards to maintain the trust of her constituents. Her actions regarding the Met Gala dress rental raise serious concerns about her commitment to those standards. Furthermore, her reluctance to answer questions about her political ambitions only fuels speculation about her future plans.
AOC must realize that the American people expect elected officials to act with integrity and transparency, and to be held accountable for their actions. Conservatives believe that this is especially important in the current political climate, where trust in government officials is at an all-time low.
Sources: ConservativeBrief, MSN
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