U.S. House Ethics Committee Courageously Tackles Most Pressing Threat to Democracy: AOC’s Met Gala Dress

In a move that will surely be remembered alongside the great moments of American jurisprudence, the U.S. House Committee on Ethics—led by its Republican majority—has delivered a devastating blow to misconduct in Washington by formally rebuking Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for…wait for it…accepting a borrowed dress, shoes, purse, and makeup for a fashion event in 2021.

Yes, as the nation faces such minor distractions as multiple felony convictions for the president, a cabinet riddled with corporate conflicts, and millions of taxpayer dollars funneled into golf resorts, the committee has chosen to focus its moral outrage on the true existential crisis: whether AOC properly reimbursed a stylist and returned her earrings after the Met Gala.

“Finally, accountability!” declared no one outside the committee chambers, as Americans collectively paused their doomscrolling about climate collapse, judicial weaponization, and election interference to process this cataclysmic $3,000 wardrobe lapse.

In a scathing letter, the Committee concluded that AOC “did not act in accordance with the gift rules.” This, of course, stands in stark contrast to former cabinet officials who simply rewrote the rules—or ignored them entirely—while enriching themselves and their friends through government contracts, real estate deals, and security details that cost taxpayers millions.

Representative Ocasio-Cortez has acknowledged the error, citing delayed reimbursements and staff oversight—actions that, according to the Committee, rise to a level just below a constitutional crisis.

Meanwhile, no hearings have been scheduled on:

• Cabinet members holding stock in companies they regulate

• A certain former president using the White House to promote private businesses

• Or the routine disappearance of ethics waivers for major donors appointed to federal agencies

But rest assured: a borrowed clutch purse will not go unpunished.

As this scandal finally winds down—after a 3-year investigation and 26-page report—we can only hope future ethics inquiries will apply this same tireless energy and righteous indignation to the actual erosion of democratic norms. Or, you know, at least keep the dress code honest.

#Priorities