this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2025
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politics

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143
Ocasio-Cortez Must Pay Another $2,700 for Met Gala Dress (www.nytimes.com)
submitted 4 days ago by silence7@slrpnk.net to c/politics@lemmy.world
24 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made a splash in 2021 with her “Tax the Rich” dress. Then the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation.

The worst hit they can come up with is she paid too little for a "tax the rich" dress

top 24 comments
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[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 58 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Fuck the NYT for not leading with this (but fuck it a little less for including it in the article at all):

Typically, attendees are dressed in custom-made garments at the expense of the designer, who often also covers the cost of admission.

However, House ethics rules prevent members of Congress from accepting gifts such as “a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance or other item having monetary value.”

Lawmakers and their spouses are permitted to attend charity events, but only if invited by the organization hosting the event. In this case, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Mr. Roberts were guests of Ms. Wintour and allowed to attend.

Investigators said that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and her staff had been mindful of the rules and were determined to pay for her gown and related costs incurred by the designer, Aurora James, and her company, Brother Vellies.

Rather than simply accepting the dress as a gift, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez asked to “rent” it and personally cover other costs associated with the evening.

The lawyer told the committee that her team was repeatedly told, “‘Met Gala attendees don’t normally pay for this.’”

So now they're trying to twist "doing the right thing" into some form of corruption.

I can imagine some Republican PR guy:

"People love her. Go and find dirt on her." ... "That is all you found? Well, it'll have to do."

[–] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

Absolutely pathetic

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 38 points 4 days ago

So Taco can accept a jet from a foreign country, and AOC needs an investigation over a dress?

[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 70 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

pardon 1,500 traitors = okay

offending rich = >:(

[–] Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 54 points 4 days ago

This doesn't look like the Epstein list at all.

[–] bitjunkie@lemmy.world 32 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Release the Epstein files

[–] mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 4 days ago

Yup, this is just another “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain” distraction.

[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 61 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

The panel also urged the congresswoman to make a $250 donation to the Met’s Costume Institute, the beneficiary of the star-studded annual gala, to cover the cost of a meal for her partner, Riley Roberts, who accompanied her. Once she did, the panel would close the yearslong investigation, it said.

Wouldn't that be soliciting a bribe? Wtf?

I guess we ain't even pretending anymore.

[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 29 points 4 days ago

They're really trying to twist the dagger but fuck these pieces of shit. I'm donating more money to AOC.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No, they gave them a free meal for her guest so the panel wants her to repay it in some way.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

They did that for all attendees' plus ones, right?

[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 4 days ago

Weirdly they don’t care about all those vacations Clarence Thomas received from Harlan Crow.

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 4 points 4 days ago

No, it would be a measure to negate the financial benefit a public servant derived from their status.

[–] ByteJunk@lemmy.world 39 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

A dress that she MADE A POINT to pay for, despite ALL Metz gala dresses, and entry fees, being paid for by the designers.

This is just absurd. And it took them years to reach this conclusion, with an eagerly complying "defendant". Imagine someone who actually fights them on any real charges? They'll never get anywhere...

[–] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 43 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I'm glad we're FINALLY going after the Rampant Corruption in Congress! FINALLY all the MILLIONS Congresspeople make Insider Trading and the BRIBES they Take to Pass Legislation that HURTS us will STOP!

Oh wait Nevermind!

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 12 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

It's actually way dumber that that:

Typically, attendees are dressed in custom-made garments at the expense of the designer, who often also covers the cost of admission.

However, House ethics rules prevent members of Congress from accepting gifts such as “a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance or other item having monetary value.”

Lawmakers and their spouses are permitted to attend charity events, but only if invited by the organization hosting the event. In this case, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Mr. Roberts were guests of Ms. Wintour and allowed to attend.

Investigators said that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and her staff had been mindful of the rules and were determined to pay for her gown and related costs incurred by the designer, Aurora James, and her company, Brother Vellies.

Rather than simply accepting the dress as a gift, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez asked to “rent” it and personally cover other costs associated with the evening.

The lawyer told the committee that her team was repeatedly told, “‘Met Gala attendees don’t normally pay for this.’”

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

That's not $2700. That's $0.00081 out of your pocket and my pocket.

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 39 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Jesus fucking Christ. These assholes just need jail. Begging for it.

[–] henfredemars 17 points 4 days ago

We couldn't put the felon king in jail. They're totally safe.

[–] addie@feddit.uk 13 points 4 days ago

Well, at least she looks good in it.

Having hired suits and whatnot before to go to weddings, I'm not quite seeing the logic here. $19k "tax the rich" dress seems a bit of a tasteless disconnect between medium and message, but renting it for $1k doesn't seem crazy. Committee "did their own research" and thought $3k would be more appropriate, when most attendees pay nothing at all? Surely getting her fee refunded would be more in-line?

[–] AI_toothbrush@lemmy.zip -2 points 4 days ago

I being politically incorrect here but thats wife material. Someone who cares less about their surface and actually cares deep down about social issues effecting 99% of people is refreshing sight.