Staff Reports
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continues to provide ample fodder for conservatives, this time facing serious scrutiny over her questionable spending habits. Her association with a “training” program has drawn the ire of Americans for Public Trust, a nonprofit focused on government accountability. Apparently, training for dance parties is a legitimate line item in her budget, or so AOC would have the public believe.
The ethics complaint sent to the Office of Congressional Ethics shines a bright light on two eyebrow-raising expenditures made on December 13. In what could only be described as a “dance troupe” for the ages, AOC supposedly splurged $850 on services from Bombazo Dance Co Inc., and another $3,700 went to someone named Juan D. Gonzalez for… what exactly? Let’s just say taxpayers might be baffled at AOC’s notion of necessary expenses. To make things even more amusing, conservative commentator Paul Szypula took to social media to highlight AOC’s apparent financial gymnastics, accusing her of squandering hard-earned taxpayer dollars so she can host dance parties. That’s right; while many Americans fret over inflation and rising costs, AOC is out here busting moves on someone else’s dime.
In response to the accusations, AOC didn’t shy away from blaming the critics. She declared, with all the indignation one might muster, that none of the funds in question were taxpayer money, claiming they were part of a Federal Election Commission filing. The trouble is, her misinterpretation suggests a complete lack of understanding regarding the finances she governs. The filings in question come from a Statement of Disbursements, which outlines real expenses many lawmakers, like herself, incur while operating their offices. While she insists that none of this pertains to taxpayer money, the numbers suggest otherwise, casting a dubious shadow on her credibility as a steward of public funds.
Caitlin Sutherland, the executive director of Americans for Public Trust, wasn’t having any of it. She rightfully pointed out that AOC’s notion of “not taxpayer money” either reveals her ignorance or, more damningly, a knowledge that these expenses were indeed not related to official business. The implication is clear: AOC knows she is playing fast and loose with funds that should be reserved for legislative purposes, not hip-shaking dance lessons and food galas at Taco Bamba.
AOC Hit With Ethics Complaint for 'Troubling' Improper Use of Taxpayer Funds to Pay Dance Companyhttps://t.co/RrOEakeZtx
— RedState (@RedState) March 11, 2025
As if spending taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars on dancing wasn’t enough, it has since come to light that AOC’s own staff includes individuals who may not have the legal right to work in the United States. Her Deputy Chief of Staff, who AOC generously pays nearly $150K a year, reportedly entered the country illegally. With AOC advocating for open borders and leniency on illegal immigration, the irony is deliciously rich. The American people have a right to demand accountability not just for frivolous expenditures, but for the very integrity of their representatives.
The laundry list of AOC’s previous woes includes facing multiple ethics complaints and being linked to receiving “impermissible gifts” during her infamous Met Gala appearance in 2021, where the cringe-worthy stunt of wearing a “Tax the Rich” dress made headlines for all the wrong reasons. With AOC’s knack for controversy seemingly unending, one must wonder whether she will ever learn the concept of fiscal responsibility—or if she’ll continue waltzing her way through Congress, much to the chagrin of conservative taxpayers.
