Rep. AOC one of 10 House members who rejected disclosing their 2021 finances

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has admitted to defying congressional financial disclosure rules. Ocasio-Cortez missed the August 13 deadline to submit her 2021 financial disclosures to The House Ethics Committee.

A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez confirmed to The Washington Examiner that the matter is not a great concern, and also noted the grace period before a fine is imposed.

“[T]he Committee provides a 30-day grace period before fines are levied. The Congresswoman plans to file before the period expires,” a spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.

Financial disclosures are publicly available for review on the House Clerk’s website. Nearly all members of the House have submitted their disclosures, Ocasio-Cortez is one of 10 members who have not yet done so.

Should Ocasio-Cortez failed to submit her disclosures within the 30-day grace period, she would be subject to a $200 fine.  Ocasio-Cortez narrowly avoided a fine in September 2020, prompting criticism of her tardiness.

“Not only is she an admitted scofflaw — she’s a repeat offender,” said Paul Kamenar, an attorney for the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative ethics watchdog group. “One must wonder whether she also files her income tax returns past the deadlines.”

“Just like AOC did in 2020 when she filed her 2019 disclosure report 30 days late after the 90-day extension, she’s at it again, blowing off the deadline for filing her 2021 filing that was due on Aug. 13,” Kamenar went on to say.

In a recent interview, Ocasio-Cortez addressed concerns that she is out of touch with those she represents. “It’s always a concern that that’s a perception,” Ocasio-Cortez told the Associated Press while discussing whether her celebrity status could make her less approachable. 

“I’ve never had any control over the fact that that kind of phenomenon started the moment I was elected,” she continued. “If anything, that’s why it’s really important for me to continue to be here in the community.”