The House Ethics Committee determined that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) broke ethics rules by accepting gifts during her 2021 appearance at the Met Gala — including her infamous “Tax The Rich” dress.
The Committee found that Ocasio-Cortez “impermissably” accepted a free-admission ticket from her now-fiancé, Riley Roberts, valued at approximately $35,000.
She also did not pay the full market price for certain items she wore to the Gala. Her white Brother Vellies dress, which had “Tax The Rich” written in crude letters on the back, cost $3,724 to rent, yet she paid only $990 for it.
An investigation into her attendance was opened in December 2022 after the American Accountability Foundation filed an ethics complaint. Experts revealed that her donning borrowed items violated House rules, which bar lawmakers from receiving gifts like free attendance to events and travel.
The three-year investigation “did not find evidence” that Ocasio-Cortez intentionally underpaid for the apparel, according to the New York Post. However, she placed some blame on her staff, who, vendors claim, delayed payment.
One of her bills to a hairstylist— which amounted to $477.73 — stayed underpaid for nearly half a year and led to a “complaint with the NY Dept of Labor against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress,” says the Committee’s report.
“[T]he Committee determined that no sanction was merited, provided Representative Ocasio-Cortez: (1) donates the $250 value of Mr. Roberts’ Met Gala meal to the Costume Institute and (2) pays Brother Vellies an additional $2,733.28 for the fair market value of the goods that she received in connection with her 2021 Met Gala attendance.”
Mike Casca, chief of staff for Ocasio-Cortez, released a statement regarding the situation: “The Congresswoman appreciates the Committee finding that she made efforts to ensure her compliance with House Rules and sought to act consistently with her ethical requirements as a Member of the House,” he said. “She accepts the ruling and will remedy the remaining amounts, as she’s done at each step in this process.”
