Ethics for Thee, Couture for Me: AOC’s ‘Tax the Rich’ Hypocrisy Gets a Quiet Reckoning
Sunrise Show Prep! July 28
Ethics for Thee, Couture for Me: AOC’s ‘Tax the Rich’ Hypocrisy Gets a Quiet Reckoning
You probably missed it—because that was the point.
While the mainstream media salivates over the latest Trump court drama or invents a new Florida man panic, they’ve barely mustered a whisper about a story that should be front-page news: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been formally reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee for violating Congressional gift rules in connection with her now-infamous “Tax the Rich” dress at the 2021 Met Gala.
Yes, the same dress that launched a thousand hot takes—and countless Instagram likes—wasn’t just hypocritical performance art. According to a bipartisan ethics investigation, it was also an ethics violation. But good luck finding a full segment about it on CNN or the New York Times home page.
The report, released quietly last week, concluded that AOC received thousands of dollars worth of goods and services—designer gown, shoes, bag, professional hair and makeup, and even her boyfriend’s dinner—without timely or full reimbursement.
She eventually paid $990.76, far below the market value of what she received. After being caught, she was ordered to cough up another $2,700 and donate $250 to cover her fiancé’s Met Gala meal.
Let’s pause for a moment. A sitting member of Congress broke House rules to attend a glitzy celebrity bash where tables go for $300,000, wore a designer gown emblazoned with a sanctimonious slogan attacking the very people she was hobnobbing with, and then… failed to pay her bills. If George Santos did this, MSNBC would have turned it into a weeklong docuseries.
But because it’s AOC, the press yawns. No “Democrats in disarray” headlines. No panel discussions. No chyrons blaring “Ethics Violation.”
Instead, it’s business as usual.
Let’s be clear: AOC didn’t just forget to Venmo a stylist. This was a calculated use of her position and fame to gain access to an event most Americans could never dream of attending.
She styled herself as a socialist Cinderella crashing the capitalist ball, all while ignoring the House rulebook and banking on the media’s protective indifference.
And it worked. Even in the face of a bipartisan ethics panel slapping her wrist, she issued a quick statement of compliance, paid the outstanding balance, and walked away without a formal sanction. Case closed. Move along.
For conservatives, this episode is a microcosm of everything broken in today’s media-political complex. Progressives preach about equity while partying with billionaires. They shout “Tax the Rich” as they cozy up to Anna Wintour. And the media, instead of holding them accountable, turns the other cheek.
The hypocrisy writes itself—but few in the press want to read it aloud.
Compare this to the treatment of any conservative who so much as misfiles a travel reimbursement. The double standard is so glaring, it no longer even surprises. It just confirms what many of us have long known: the rules don’t apply equally. Not in Washington, and certainly not in the pressroom.
The irony of it all? Ocasio-Cortez has built her brand on calling out corruption and privilege. But in the end, her designer protest dress became the perfect metaphor—not for taxing the rich, but for the elite insulation that protects her from scrutiny.
And for a media establishment that claims to speak truth to power, their silence says everything.
🎙️ TODAY'S GUESTS ON THE SHOW
⚡ 6:05 AM — DANIEL TURNER
Founder, Power the Future
TOPIC: How President Trump’s new EU trade deal will spark major investment in American energy.
🗳️ 6:35 AM — JOHN MYRICK
Republican Candidate for Governor of Maryland
TOPIC: His vision for Maryland’s future and why he believes now is the time for GOP leadership in the state.
⚖️ 7:05 AM — JOE DIGENOVA
Former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
TOPIC: The legal and constitutional implications of new efforts to institutionalize the homeless — what’s being proposed, and what’s at stake.
📈 7:35 AM — EJ ANTONI
Economist, The Heritage Foundation
TOPIC: How Trump’s EU trade deal delivers a major win for the American economy — and what it means for inflation, industry, and growth.
🎤 8:05 AM — SEAN SPICER
Former White House Press Secretary
TOPIC: Inside reaction to Trump’s EU trade deal and what it signals about global power shifts heading into 2025.
🎧 LARRY’S SHOW PREP
⚡ TRUMP’S EU TRADE DEAL
Rapid Response 47 on X: “.@POTUS announces a landmark trade deal with the European Union: ‘I think it's the biggest deal ever made.’” 🔗 See Tweet
Geiger Capital on X: “Absolutely brutal… 🇺🇸🇪🇺” 🔗 Read Reaction
🕵️ SPANBERGER WRAPPED IN IC SCANDALS
NOVA Campaigns on X: Here’s CIA Rep. Abigail Spanberger backing FBI pressuring Big Tech to censor the Hunter Biden laptop. 🔗 Full Thread
Spanberger on X: “I hear from Virginians every day who say they’re tired of the chaos from Washington... Our ticket is unified and ready to work for every Virginian.” 🔗 Read Post
🚺 NEW WINSOME SEARS AD
Winsome Earle‑Sears on X: “Abigail Spanberger and Ghazala Hashmi want girls sharing locker rooms with biological men. That’s insane. I’ll protect our girls.” 🔗 Watch Ad
⚖️ SCOTUS TAKES IMPORTANT TRANS CASE
Libs of TikTok on X: “BREAKING: SCOTUS to hear case against Colorado school district that secretly transitioned a girl behind her parents’ backs.” 🔗 Read Thread
🔙 RUSSIA COLLUSION REVELATIONS & FALL‑OUT
Joel Pollak: “Tulsi declassified intel shows: Obama commissioned a new ICA, Russians had dirt on Hillary, and Brennan lied to Congress.” 🔗 See Tweet
Jonathan Turley: “Brennan and Obama officials knew of Hillary’s planned conspiracy smear. Brennan intervened to include the Steele dossier last‑minute.” 🔗 Read Tweet
Wesley Hunt: “Nunes sums it up: Why was Mar‑a‑Lago raided? The Left says prosecuting Obama is unprecedented—but they already crossed that line with Trump.” 🔗 Tweet
Paul Sperry: “Sen. Mark Warner refused an intel analyst who tried to expose Brennan’s juiced intel on Russia and Trump—ignored him completely.” 🔗 Thread
Ned Ryun: “Brennan claimed his source risked execution—but reporters found him living comfortably in Stafford, VA under his real name.” 🔗 Tweet
Big Fish: “An intel whistleblower tried Warner’s office but was pushed away—and Warner now criticizes Tulsi loudest.” 🔗 Read Tweet
Steve Cortes: “Comey’s ambush on Jan 6, 2017 was the poisoned seed for the Russiagate hoax. Permanent Washington decided Trump shouldn’t win.” 🔗 Thread
Jason Cohen 🇺🇸: “Stephen A. Smith warns that Russiagate revelations could haunt Democrats long‑term.” 🔗 Tweet
Clyp Keeper: “John Brennan: ‘We provided him the briefing he deserved as President‑elect’ about Russia in January 2017.” 🔗 Read Tweet
Paul Sperry (again): “After flimsy intel was presented about Putin helping Trump, informant Smolenkov suddenly bought a 6‑bedroom estate in Stafford, VA.” 🔗 Thread
🔥 LA FIREAID SCANDAL
Kevin Dalton: “FireAid raised an estimated $100 M for wildfire victims—yet organizers lied about distributing it.” 🔗 Read Thread
Kevin Dalton (again): “Everyone said money would go straight to wildfire victims. Where is it now? @SamuelLJackson? @GreenDay? @GavinNewsom?” 🔗 Read
🎭 LENO ON LATE NIGHT
New York Post: “Jay Leno criticizes modern late-night for alienating half the audience with partisan politics.” 🔗 Read
📉 DEMS IN FREEFALL
Tom Bevan on X: “🧐 WSJ: Democrats get lowest voter approval in 35 years.” 🔗 Read
💥 MEDIA MATTERS ON THE ROPES?
Kenneth P. Vogel: “Media Matters faces $15 M in legal bills, scaled back criticism of Trump & Musk, and may shut down soon.” 🔗 Tweet
📚 JULIE’S SHOW PREP
🧵 Cultural Controversies
👉 “It’s Nazi propaganda to put a hot white chick in a jeans ad”
Clay Travis weighs in on a bizarre left-wing critique of beauty in marketing.
🔗 Watch the post
📸 Vatican’s New Media Strategy
The Vatican is reportedly inviting “hot priest” influencers to help engage younger Catholics.
🔗 Read more
📉 Colbert Rally Flops in NYC
A pro-Colbert demonstration in New York drew only 20 people.
🔗 Full Story
🇺🇸 Trump Watch
🚨 “Golf Force One” Rolls Out
An armored golf cart trails Trump during his Scotland visit — less than a year after the assassination attempt.
🔗 Read story
🔗 Nunes Connects the Russiagate Dots
From Hillary’s original hoax to the raid on Mar-a-Lago — all part of the same anti-Trump operation.
🔗 Read thread
💸 Duffy on Buttigieg’s Waste
$80 BILLION wasted on DEI projects — how many real infrastructure initiatives could have been funded?
🔗 Full tweet
🔐 Secret Service Scandal
A USSS agent allegedly tried to smuggle his wife aboard a government aircraft during Trump’s Scotland trip.
🔗 Read report
📰 Media Manipulation & Misfires
📷 Media Using Fake Gaza Images
Multiple outlets caught recycling misleading or staged photos of children in Gaza.
🔗 Watch the breakdown
🧾 AOC’s Ethics Questions
👗 “Tax the Rich” Dress Ethics Probe
The infamous Met Gala dress resurfaces amid new scrutiny of AOC’s ethical violations.
🔗 Angela Morabito tweet
🔗 More from The Daily Signal