New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Tuesday that members of Congress need their current $174,000-a-year salary increased or they might be tempted by “dark money.”
The self-declared Democratic Socialist emphasized that “ALL workers deserve cost of living increases.”
Yep. Voting against cost of living increases for members of Congress may sound nice, but doing so only increases pressure on them to keep dark money loopholes open.
This makes campaign finance reform *harder.*
ALL workers deserve cost of living increases, incl min wage workers. https://t.co/fCdgHKx4G1
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 11, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez’s faces accusations that she violated election campaign finance laws by surreptitiously controlling a political action committee that heavily donated to her 2018 campaign. If the allegations are proven to be true, it could result in jail time for Ocasio-Cortez and her chief of staff. (RELATED: Ocasio-Cortez Has Ties To A Dark Money Group)
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) works behind the bar at the Queensboro Restaurant, May 31, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The congresswoman has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
Ocasio-Cortez also ruled earlier this year that senior staffers in her congressional office would have to take a pay cut so that no one working for her would be earning less than $52,000 a year.
She explained at the time that “Leadership starts with our choices.”
“That’s why I decided that no one on my staff will make less than $52k/year,” she wrote. “It’s likely one of the highest entry-level salaries on the Hill. We pinch pennies elsewhere, but it’s worth every dime to pay a living wage.” (RELATED: DC Restaurant Industry Rips Ocasio-Cortez After Pushing For $15 Minimum Wage For All)
Ocasio-Cortez, who used to be a waitress, is enjoying the financial dividends of her new job, moving into a luxury apartment replete with pools, a sauna, rooftop garden and even a wood-burning stove to make pizza. Ocasio-Cortez justified the opulence by saying luxury should be the standard for everyone. She has also complained about her congressional duties interfering with her yoga classes and forcing her to eat at fast food restaurants.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) removes her glasses before a hearing of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee on “Confronting White Supremacy (Part I): The Consequences of Inaction” on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts.
Prior to being sworn in to Congress, Ocasio-Cortez complained that she couldn’t afford an apartment in Washington and actually looked for donations from supporters to help her along the way.