Is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) married? Her marital status is being scrutinized due to financial disclosure forms that identified her boyfriend, Riley Roberts, as her “spouse,” as revealed by an investigation by the Washington Free Beacon.
AOC spokeswoman Lauren Hitt commented, “They are not legally married. House Ethics has commonly recognized the term spouse to extend to long-term partners.”
But, according to the House Ethics Committee’s Code of Official Conduct, a spouse is defined as “someone to whom you are legally married.”
Interestingly, AOC had the opportunity to label Roberts as her fiancé, which she publicly announced last May.
However, when examining the evidence on its surface, four legal documents filed with the House Ethics Committee concerning AOC’s international trips in 2022 and 2023 indicate that the two may have been officially married as early as January 13, 2023.
If this is indeed the case, AOC can no longer utilize her single status to avoid disclosing her partner’s financial information. While lawmakers are obligated to reveal financial details about their spouses, the rule excludes live-in romantic partners and fiancés.
Submitting an inaccurate form to the Ethics Committee can lead to serious consequences for a member of Congress. Rep. George Santos (R-NY), known for his repeated falsehoods and storytelling, serves as an example.
Imagine if the commies caught George Santos doing this https://t.co/nahC069ncq
— Donald Russo (@donaldrusso994) September 14, 2023
The reason behind Ocasio-Cortez regarding Roberts as her spouse for travel purposes while not doing the same for financial disclosure remains unclear. Additionally, it’s puzzling why Ocasio-Cortez didn’t classify Roberts as her spouse in ethics disclosures prior to 2023, especially given that, according to her office, the legal status of their relationship has reportedly remained consistent since her inauguration to Congress in 2019.
As reported by Networthcheckers.com, Riley Roberts holds a net worth estimated between $1.5 to $2 million, primarily stemming from his web consulting business. Unless AOC is employing some form of financial maneuvering, there doesn’t appear to be a clear rationale for withholding Roberts’ financial information from disclosure.
Providing false financial information on an official document carries the potential consequences of a $50,000 fine or up to 5 years of imprisonment. In addition, if her withholding of Robert’s financial details is determined to be intentional, she might face reprimands from the Ethics Committee or censure by the House.
