In an exclusive revelation, it has been discovered that the campaign of Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, hailing from New York, has reportedly spent a hefty sum of nearly $50,000 in Puerto Rico.
The expenses, incurred between late June and September, were directed towards luxury hotels, high-end meals, and a significant $23,000 on a "venue rental" at the San Juan arena. This is the same location where Ocasio-Cortez was seen enjoying a Bad Bunny concert during her August visit to the U.S. territory.
As reported by Fox News, social media was abuzz with videos from the August trip, showcasing Ocasio-Cortez visiting a housing development to voice her concerns against gentrification. Additional footage captured her in the midst of a lively dance in what seems to be box seats at a Bad Bunny concert on August 10. She was accompanied by fellow Democratic Representative Nydia Vela?zquez, also from New York.
The concert was part of Bad Bunny's 31-show "Residency" tour at the popular "El Choli" Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, which attracted a host of celebrities including LeBron James, Iggy Azalea, Penelope Cruz, and Austin Butler, among others.
A campaign finance report from the third quarter, which documents campaign expenses for members of Congress between July 1 and Sept. 30, reveals that Ocasio-Cortez's campaign spent over $15,000 at two luxury hotels in San Juan, coinciding with Bad Bunny's "Residency" tour. The campaign also shelled out over $10,500 on meals and catering services, according to the filings.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings for Q3 detail expenditures from Ocasio-Cortez's principal campaign committee on two luxury hotels in San Juan, namely the Hotel Palacio Provincial and Hotel El Convento. On July 28, Ocasio-Cortez's campaign paid $680.52 to Hotel Palacio Provincial, followed by subsequent payments to the hotel on Aug. 29, for $1,507.26, and Sept. 29, for $9,440.79. A $3,861.20 payment also went to Hotel El Convento on Aug. 25, which owns the Hotel Palacio Provincial property as well.
In total, Ocasio-Cortez's Q3 filings show she spent $15,489.77 on lodging alone in Puerto Rico.
The same filings reveal that Ocasio-Cortez's campaign spent $10,743.13 on "catering" and "meals" in Puerto Rico. The payments were made across two separate days, Aug. 25 and Sept. 29, and included high-end restaurants in San Juan, such as Cocina Abierta, Cocina al Fondo, and Verde Mesa.
In two separate payments on June 24 and Aug. 25, Ocasio-Cortez's campaign also spent more than $23,000 on "Venue Rental" at the Coliseo De Puerto Rico, the same venue where Bad Bunny held multiple concerts as part of his "Residency" tour, including on Aug. 10, the day that Ocasio-Cortez attended his concert. It remains unconfirmed whether the payments were for multiple visits or whether a down payment was made and the final payment was paid later by the campaign.
In response to these revelations, Ocasio-Cortez's campaign manager, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, defended the expenditures, stating that Ocasio-Cortez "regularly travels to Puerto Rico to support local causes and host events that require both staff and security." He added, "She is deeply proud of her investment in grassroots organizing and will continue to be active in advocating for both people on the island and the millions of Puerto Ricans in the diaspora."
However, the spending spree was not limited to Puerto Rico. Ocasio-Cortez's campaign also spent thousands on luxury hotels and high-end food vendors stateside during the third quarter filing period. This included sellers that were based along the "Fighting Oligarchy" tour she participated in with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., earlier this year.
She spent nearly $5,000 at the Hotel Vermont in Burlington, following an April visit that cost over $1,600, according to the congresswoman's second quarter filings. Her campaign also spent almost $2,000 for a stay at an "upscale boutique hotel near Central Park," called the Thompson Central Park hotel. The Arlo Williamsburg, a Brooklyn high-rise hotel with a rooftop pool and bar, was also listed in her most recent FEC report, which revealed she spent nearly $3,000 on her stay there.
Ocasio-Cortez's most recent FEC filing also reveals she racked up thousands of dollars in high-end restaurants, including a $6,300 bill at a fancy restaurant in D.C. called Ama, while her campaign also spent $4,500 on ice cream from Mr. Ding-a-ling Ice Cream located in Latham, New York.
The campaign spent $4,400 on catering from D.C.-area executive chef Caleb Jang. Other high-end restaurants the campaign ate at stateside during Q3 include El Secreto De Rosita in D.C., Hen of the Wood in Vermont, Central Park Boathouse, and Mottley Kitchen in the Bronx. Bills for these dinners ranged from a few hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars, totaling over $7,000.
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