The House Ethics Committee has asked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to make additional payments totaling around $3,000 related to her attendance at the 2021 Met Gala, where she famously wore a dress that said “tax the rich.”
Although Ocasio-Cortez paid for the rental of her dress and accessories in 2022, a report released recently indicated that the rental costs were considered “unrealistic” and didn’t reflect market value. While the committee noted that the violation wasn’t deemed intentional or knowledgeable, it did point out that the situation constituted an unacceptable gift under federal law and House rules.
She is expected to settle this payment, which would finally resolve a lengthy investigation into her Met Gala participation.
Initially, Ocasio-Cortez had rented her Met Gala ensemble from designer Brother Vellies for $990.76. However, the committee found that this amount was significantly underestimated, with the real market rate being closer to $3,724.04.
Additionally, the committee instructed Ocasio-Cortez to donate $250 of her meal expenses from the Gala to the Met’s Costume Institute. It also acknowledged that she took “important measures” to comply with the House Gift Rules and that her attendance overall adhered to House guidelines.
Mike Casca, her Chief of Staff, remarked that Ocasio-Cortez appreciates the committee’s efforts to uphold ethical standards and will address the outstanding amount as per their guidance.
In total, Ocasio-Cortez has paid approximately $7,500 for makeup, hotel accommodations, transportation, and other related expenses while attending the Met Gala. With the new amount added, her personal costs for that night now exceed $10,000, as reported by her attorney.
Her lawyer previously argued in a May 2025 letter that it seems unreasonable for lawmakers to cover payments for services they weren’t aware of or agreed to.
The investigation into her Met Gala attendance began with a 2023 report from the Congressional Bureau of Ethics, which raised concerns that she may have accepted inappropriate gifts linked to the event. Complaints were also cited regarding delayed payments for services such as hair and makeup, as well as for her outfit.
After delving deeper, the Ethics Committee found no intent behind the payment delays and noted that Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t fully aware of how extensive these delays were.
However, the committee concluded that the costs associated with her outfits were below the actual market value, arguing that their estimates failed to consider the true value of such specialized custom items typically used just for one event.
Ocasio-Cortez’s team had cited mass-market clothing rental services as part of their cost assessments, which the committee criticized. They remarked that juxtaposing a unique designer gown with commercially available rental items is simply unfair.
Her lawyer argued that the estimates used were only meant to gauge if lawmakers could afford to attend such events. The committee estimated that the cost of manufacturing the dress was $6,279.10, rather than the initially stated $1,000.
Additionally, the invoice from Brother Vellies lacked an explanation for the flower hairpiece Ocasio-Cortez wore, leading to a recommendation that she pay an additional $36.71 for its rental. Earlier bills for other accessories included $160 for shoes, $170 for a handbag, and $78.47 for jewelry rentals.
