AOC was warned against accepting Met Gala invite, emails show

Ryan King

March 06, 10:25 AM March 06, 10:25 AM

An anti-corruption lawyer warned Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D-NY) staff against accepting an invite from Vogue to attend the Met Gala, emails show.

The lawyer warned that Vogue's parent company, Advance Media Publications, was a registered lobbyist and appeared to suggest that she could attend the gala if she had an invite from event organizers. Ocasio-Cortez and her boyfriend accepted the tickets to the gala.

AOC'S MET GALA DRAMA EXPLAINED

"The Congresswoman could accept an invitation from [the Met], but not from Vogue," the lawyer wrote, according to documents released by the Congressional Ethics Committee. "Since Advance Publications is a registered lobbyist, we'll need to be extra careful!"

Ocasio-Cortez's outing at the Met Gala in 2021 sparked widespread attention. She donned a dress reading"Tax the Rich" at the event, which is an annual fundraising gala for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City.

A slew of watchdog groups filed complaints after revelations emerged that she and her boyfriend, with whom she has since become engaged, scored tickets that cost $35,000 apiece. There were also questions about Ocasio-Cortez's "borrowed" dress, her sitting at a sponsored table possibly valued up to $300,000, and having a limousine ride.

Documents from the Congressional Ethics Committee trove clarified that the invitation information Ocasio-Cortez and her boyfriend received showed they were “guests of Vogue.” Following her outing, a Vogue staffer contacted Ocasio-Cortez's team and suggested they describe her as a guest of Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief.

“Hope the [C]ongresswoman had a great time last night! … [W]e have had a number of inquiries ... Mainly from Page Six ... Given that she was a guest of [V]ogue, we were planning to say ... she was a guest of Anna [Wintour]’s. ... wanted to check with you,” the email said, as reported by the New York Post.

Last week, the Ethics Committee revealed that it is investigating the matter and released a report from the Office of Congressional Ethics on the debacle. The report outlined a series of allegedly delayed and discounted reimbursements from Ocasio-Cortez for makeup, hair, transportation, hotel costs, and more.

For instance, her designer dress rental was priced at $1,300, but her staff negotiated the price down to $300.

"The Committee notes that the mere fact of conducting further review of a referral, and any mandatory disclosure of such further review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee," it said in a statement.

OCE relegated the matter to the Congressional Ethics Committee last year. Ocasio-Cortez has shrugged off the ethics scrutiny and maintained that the matter will likely be dropped.

“While regrettable, these delayed payments definitively do not rise to the level of a violation of House Rules," spokespeople for Ocasio-Cortez told the Washington Examiner. "Even after OCE’s exhaustive review of the congresswoman’s personal communications, there is no record of the congresswoman refusing to pay for these expenses.”

Inside AOC's Met Gala saga that led to ethics office saying she may have violated federal law

Cami Mondeaux

March 03, 09:01 AM March 03, 09:01 AM

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has come under renewed scrutiny over her attendance at the Met Gala in 2021, resulting in an ethics complaint that accuses her of possibly violating federal law.

The House Ethics Committee announced on Thursday it would be extending its investigation into Ocasio-Cortez’s conduct at the event after the Office of Congressional Ethics revealed it had found "substantial reason to believe that she accepted impermissible gifts." If found to be true, the New York congresswoman would be in violation of House rules and possibly federal law, according to the report.

AOC MAY HAVE VIOLATED LAW WITH MET GALA APPEARANCE, HOUSE ETHICS OFFICE SAYS

Here’s a breakdown of the allegations Ocasio-Cortez faces and how she has responded to the widespread scrutiny.

AOC dons ‘Tax the Rich’ dress at 2021 Met Gala

Ocasio-Cortez first attracted widespread criticism after attending the Met Gala in 2021 while donning a white dress with the words “Tax the Rich” written in red on the back.

However, the New York Democrat came under increased scrutiny after vendors voiced complaints that her office had not made the necessary payments for Ocasio-Cortez’s hair, makeup, and wardrobe services, which amounted to thousands of dollars. The OCE later opened an inquiry into the matter in December, although the office did not disclose the parameters of the investigation at the time.

Ocasio-Cortez has since paid for the outstanding costs for her attire and services for the Met Gala event, but those payments only came after the New York congresswoman was notified officials would be reviewing her conduct, according to a report from the OCE.

Delayed payments could qualify as ‘impermissible gifts,’ posing violation

Although Ocasio-Cortez eventually made the required payments, the OCE referred the matter to the House Ethics Committee for an investigation in June. Acting ranking member Susan Wild (D-PA) decided to take up the matter in December.

House rules bar members from accepting gifts that have “monetary value,” including items that are categorized as “gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, [or] forbearance.”

Because Ocasio-Cortez delayed payments for her dress and accessories, which she rented for the event, as well as her hair and makeup services, conservative watchdog groups are pressing House lawmakers to investigate whether that amounts to “impermissible gifts.”

“Despite various efforts to address compliance concerns in advance of the Met Gala through counsel, and despite representations to the Committee regarding compliance with House rules, it appears several thousands of dollars’ worth of services may have remained unpaid absent the OCE initiating this review,” OCE wrote in its report.

AOC defends conduct, says she’s confident matter will be dropped

Ocasio-Cortez responded to the criticism, acknowledging that the payments were delayed despite the congresswoman taking “several steps to ensure nothing of this nature will happen again.” However, the oversight does not amount to a violation of House rules, her office said.

“While regrettable, these delayed payments definitively do not rise to the level of a violation of House Rules," spokespeople for Ocasio-Cortez told the Washington Examiner. "Even after OCE’s exhaustive review of the congresswoman’s personal communications, there is no record of the congresswoman refusing to pay for these expenses.”

Ocasio-Cortez ultimately made the necessary payments, handling the expenses with her “own personal funds,” according to her office. The congresswoman has also expressed confidence the matter would be dismissed without charges.