New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being targeted by a government accountability group that is demanding she be investigated concerning allegations that she might have misappropriated taxpayer funds for expenses related to election campaign. Would this surprise anyone? Not me. Democrats are usually crooks.
How else would you describe a person who believes it’s not only morally right and just to steal other people’s money out of their paychecks to give out to others who didn’t work for it, but thinks you’re immoral if you fight against said theft.
The organization, Americans for Public Trust (ATP), filed a formal complaint against AOC with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) on Tuesday, which raised concerns about a series of expenses listed on her fourth-quarter Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA).
“The complaint highlights two specific payments made from Ocasio-Cortez’s office account: $3,700 to ‘Juan D Gonzalez’ and $850 to ‘Bombazo Dance Co Inc.,’ both categorized under “training.” The expenditures, which surfaced in the House’s Statement of Disbursements, have prompted accusations that taxpayer funds were inappropriately used for purposes unrelated to congressional duties,” Trending Politics News reported.
APT’s letter to the OCE outlines potential violations of federal law and House ethics rules, which strictly prohibit the use of official funds for campaign activities. “House rules are clear: official resources must be used for the performance of official business and cannot be used for campaign or political purposes,” the letter states. The group also warns that “criminal penalties exist for falsely certifying improper use, including campaign use, of official House funds.” The controversy escalated when a social media user flagged the expenses online.
In response, Ocasio-Cortez fired back on X (formerly Twitter), dismissing the concerns and asserting, “100% wrong. None of this is taxpayer money, this is an FEC filing. Be loud and wrong about something else. Try again next time.” Federal law mandates that congressional appropriations be used strictly for the purpose for which they were allocated. The House Ethics Manual further specifies that taxpayer dollars must be reserved for “official and representational expenses” and cannot fund campaign activities.
A violation of these rules comes with some hefty penalties, including criminal charges, meaning AOC might have to trade all of those trendy power suits she wears for a new wardrobe all in orange if found guilty.
Caitlin Sutherland, the executive director for APT, is now strongly encouraging the OCE to launch a full investigation to find out whether or not Ocasio-Cortez participated in a pattern of misusing taxpayer dollars.
“Representative Ocasio-Cortez has made expenditures from her official office account that she herself contends should have been reported to the FEC, presumably because they were made for campaign purposes,” the letter goes on to say.
“If it is revealed that Representative Ocasio-Cortez has demonstrated a pattern of using her taxpayer-funded MRA to pay her campaign expenses, we further request a full investigation be commenced by your office,” it adds.
“The allegations come as Ocasio-Cortez continues to be a polarizing figure in Congress, frequently at the center of ethics and campaign finance debates. House Republicans have previously scrutinized the progressive congresswoman for her financial dealings, including her participation in the Met Gala and an associated ethics probe into gifts she received,” the report said.
The article concluded, “The latest controversy is likely to fuel further political battles over accountability and transparency in Washington. Ocasio-Cortez’s office has yet to provide an official statement addressing the ethics complaint beyond her social media response.”
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