Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is currently under investigation over her iconic 'Tax the Rich' Met Gala dress.
According to a statement released by The House Ethics Committee on Thursday, the 33-year-old congresswoman will be the subject of an investigation after a watchdog discovered that she may have violated House rules by accepting "impermissible gifts" during her Met Gala attendance.
The press release stated that the Committee received the complaint in June of last year which prompted members to extend their review on the matter.
Back in 2021, Ocasio-Cortez, better known by her initials AOC, attended the prestigious event at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art donning a Brother Vellies white gown with the words 'Tax the Rich' splattered in red lettering on the back.
At the time, the politically charged slogan sparked a debate online about how "appropriate" it was for a fundraising event of such high caliber, but the Democratic rep also received praise for her unwavering bravery.
However, later on, it was revealed that the dress - along with the hair and make-up services and jewelry - were all gifted to Ocasio-Cortez, a seemingly direct violation of House rules.
A further statement on the issue stated: "If Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts, then she may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law."
"While Rep. Ocasio-Cortez appears to have now paid for the rental value of the attire she wore to the Met Gala and for the goods and services she and her partner received in connection with this September 2021 event, payment for these goods and services did not occur until after the OCE contacted her in connection with this review," the statement also read.
According to a report by The Washington Post, staffers at Condé Nast arranged for the congresswoman to appear at the star-studded event, and also booked a stylist for her hair, which cost $477.73, and makeup, which added $344.85 to the bill.
The custom dress, shoes, handbag, and jewelry were provided as rentals, which initially led to a bill for nearly $2,300, but the total was later revised to about $990.
The report also alleged that the cost of car service, a stay at the Carlyle Hotel, and a bow tie and shoes for Ocasio-Cortez's partner totaled $5,579.99 - all of which got paid after the Committee began its investigation.
In a letter that was released David Mitrani, the official counsel for Ocasio-Cortez, the 33-year-old emphasized that there was a "delay" in the payments for the services, and that she finds these delays "unacceptable, and she has taken several steps to ensure nothing of this nature will ever happen again."
"However, while regrettable, this matter definitively does not rise to the level of a violation of House Rules or of federal law," the letter continued. "Even after OCE’s exhaustive review of the Congresswoman’s personal communications, there is no evidence that she ever intended to avoid these expenses.
"To the contrary, the record clearly shows that the Congresswoman always understood that she had to pay for these expenses personally – and she even worked with the undersigned counsel prior to the event to ensure that she complied with all applicable ethics rules.
"We are confident the Committee on Ethics will dismiss this matter," it concluded.
