(ConservativeFreePress.com) – Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has recently come under scrutiny for designating her fiancé, Riley Roberts, as her “spouse” on a series of official documents that pertained to international travel. These documents were submitted to the House Ethics Committee for the period spanning 2022 to 2023. The designation came to light after an initial investigation by the Washington Free Beacon, sparking widespread discussions about the specifics of terminology on such forms.
The House Ethics Committee has specific guidelines in place. According to these, a spouse is unambiguously defined as “an individual legally wedded to another.” This clear-cut definition has led many to question Ocasio-Cortez’s choice of wording on the documents. However, Lauren Hitt, the spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez, shed some light on this issue. In her response to the Beacon, Hitt mentioned that while the congresswoman and Roberts aren’t officially married, it has been a somewhat common practice within the confines of House Ethics to use the term “spouse” in a broader sense, encompassing long-term committed relationships.
The implications of such a designation are not just semantic. If Roberts, who has been with Ocasio-Cortez for a considerable amount of time, were her legally acknowledged husband, he would then be obliged to make his financial records public, adhering to standard procedures for spouses of members of Congress.
Their relationship has always been in the public eye, especially after Ocasio-Cortez announced her engagement to Roberts in May 2022. The couple’s story is both endearing and relatable, having met during their tenure as students at Boston University. Their encounter at a coffee shop marked the beginning of a long-standing relationship that has now culminated in their engagement.
In a separate but related vein of scrutiny, Ocasio-Cortez has been at the center of another investigation earlier this year. The House Office of Congressional Ethics raised suspicions about her potentially accepting inappropriate gifts related to her attendance at the famed 2021 Met Gala. If found accurate, such actions might put her in breach of House regulations, ethical standards, and even federal legislation.
Furthermore, in a previous incident, Ocasio-Cortez did not shy away from demanding transparency from others. She requested the Department of Justice to delve deeper into Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s relationships, particularly with notable Republican donors, implying that there might have been financial benefits involved.
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