Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez under investigation for 'Tax The Rich' Met Gala 2021 dress

US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is under investigation for her 2021 dress worn at Met Gala that created ripples, with text emblazoned "tax the rich" that was printed on the back of her dress in red. The US House ethics panel, on Saturday, said that it believes that the outfit and other accessories that she wore at the event were "impermissible gifts". Reports suggest that the House Ethics Committee has declared a probe into the attire, although, they did not provide the reason for the investigation. "There is substantial reason to believe that she accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala in 2021," the US Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) stated in the report published Friday. 

In 2021, as she wore the dress with a political message that turned heads, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, dubbed as AOC, noted: "The medium is the message," referring to her dress. "The time is now for childcare, healthcare, and climate action for all. Tax the Rich," she had noted. 

US House Gift Guidance explained

In its wide-ranging report published on Friday, the US Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) said that the Democratic politician was provided with a handbag, shoes, and jewellery as well as the dress for the event by the third party. "Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may have accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala in 2021. If Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts, then she may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law," the committee noted. It added that as a Democratic politician, the US House Gift Guidance explains that, “[t]he Gift Rule starts with the premise that you may not accept a gift unless it meets an exception to the Gift Rule." The Gift Guidance outlines several permissible gift exceptions, including an exception for charitable events. Under the rule, AOC is permitted to only accept an unsolicited offer of free attendance for a "charity fundraising event." 

AOC's white gown at the New York high-profile event was disparaged as "tone deaf" as critics stressed that the congresswoman had attended a luxurious event in the outfit. In her justification on Instagram, Ocasio-Cortez said: “NYC elected officials are regularly invited to and attend the Met due to our responsibilities in overseeing our city’s cultural institutions that serve the public. I was one of several in attendance." Further, she clarified that the "dress is borrowed.” “The time is now for childcare, healthcare and climate action for all,” she wrote. “Tax the Rich.” Some of AOC's fans supported her message, noting that she is “an anti-capitalist queen”. “AOC wearing this dress at an event full of rich people … this woman has more balls than any man in Congress,” a fan had tweeted.