BUSTED: AOC Caught Violating Ethics Rules Once More—House Panel Delivers Verdict

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has once again come under scrutiny, this time facing a formal rebuke from the House Committee on Ethics regarding inconsistent disclosures involving her longtime partner, Riley Roberts. The issue stemmed from a series of official filings in which Roberts was alternately described as her “spouse” and not her spouse, raising questions about the accuracy and intent behind the contradictory statements.

According to a report released in July 2025, the far-left congresswoman had listed Roberts as her spouse in paperwork tied to the controversial 2021 Met Gala appearance. This move allowed her to bypass certain gift rules reserved for legally married couples. Yet, during the same period, Roberts had been excluded from AOC’s official financial disclosures, allowing him to avoid transparency requirements that would have required a full accounting of his assets and investments.

The committee’s findings indicated that the couple was not legally married at the time the filings were submitted. Nevertheless, Roberts reportedly received several privileges typically reserved for legal spouses of lawmakers, including a congressional spouse pin granting him access to secure areas within the Capitol.

Concerns have also been raised about whether this arrangement may have shielded Roberts’ financial dealings from public view. Given Ocasio-Cortez’s repeated public demands to outlaw congressional stock trading—even extending such bans to spouses—the failure to disclose her partner’s holdings has been seen by critics as hypocritical.

The ethics panel clarified that the New York lawmaker sought to exploit exceptions to the House Gift Rule that are available only to spouses or qualifying family members, while simultaneously denying that status in financial records. This contradiction allowed her to attend the elite gala with Roberts and avoid scrutiny over his economic interests.

The Met Gala controversy itself had previously triggered an investigation into the congresswoman’s acceptance of luxury goods and services during the high-profile event. That probe concluded she had failed to pay fair market value for items such as her dress, shoes, and jewelry. Additional payments totaling over $2,700 were ordered to resolve the matter, which the committee noted would allow the case to be closed once completed.

Despite these findings, AOC was reported to have cooperated with the inquiry, which also criticized Vogue’s Anna Wintour for extending the invitation to both Ocasio-Cortez and Roberts without regard for congressional rules.

The couple has reportedly lived together since 2016 and has maintained a long-term relationship, yet Roberts’ status remained inconsistent in the eyes of official filings. The committee acknowledged that some leniency had historically been extended under outdated interpretations of the term “spouse,” but maintained that such ambiguity did not absolve the need for consistent disclosures.

With AOC continuing to promote herself on a national stage—including ongoing appearances alongside Senator Bernie Sanders as part of their anti-capitalist campaign tour—speculation about her future ambitions has only intensified. Rumors of a possible Senate run in 2026 or a White House bid in 2028 have already begun to circulate among Democratic circles, though critics argue that her mounting ethics issues may complicate any such plans.

Republicans, meanwhile, appear more than willing to challenge her rise. Some lawmakers have already suggested that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer may face a primary challenge from the congresswoman, with expectations growing that a battle for control within the Democratic Party may soon unfold.

While Ocasio-Cortez continues to frame herself as a champion for transparency and ethics reform, recent revelations may be seen as undermining that narrative. Whether these contradictions will affect her standing among progressive voters remains to be seen—but conservatives have made clear they intend to keep the pressure on.

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