Topline
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) is facing an ethics review over allegations she violated House rules by seeking out a ticket to attend the Met Gala, the star-studded fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art where tickets run for tens of thousands of dollars, the House Committee on Ethics said Monday.
Carolyn B. Maloney attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at … [+]
Key Facts
In a statement, the House Committee on Ethics disclosed it was investigating whether Maloney broke House rules, standards of conduct or federal law regarding soliciting or accepting impermissible gifts in relation to the Met Gala.
The Office of Congressional Ethics voted unanimously in June to refer the case to the House committee for further review, saying there was “substantial reason” to believe she solicited or accepted gifts that are not allowed.
According to the office’s report, Maloney allegedly made a phone call to a former president of the Met in March 2016 to request a ticket to the upcoming gala after organizers decided not to invite her, which the report says would constitute an improper solicitation (House members may only accept unsolicited offers of free attendance).
Investigators said Maloney may have also tried to solicit an invitation in 2020, pointing to a series of emails between her and a staffer asking if she was invited and how to contact the Met.
Maloney’s office denied the claims in a statement to Forbes, saying Maloney is “confident” the House Ethics Committee will dismiss the matter, adding that she is “disappointed by the unproven and disputed allegations.”
Maloney’s 2021 outfit was inspired by the Equal Rights Amendment.
Key Background
The Met Gala is an annual event organized by Vogue that raises money for the museum’s Costume Institute. Last year, the ball raised more than $16.4 million for the Met’s fashion wing through $30,000 tickets and $200,000-plus tables, which are often paid for by the companies and brands that host celebrity guests. Maloney has been a regular at the event for years, and last year grabbed headlines for her outfit that paid homage to the Equal Rights Amendment. Other lawmakers to attend the fundraiser in recent years include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who wore a dress emblazoned with the phrase “Tax the Rich,” and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
US representative congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney arrives for the 2019 Met Gala at the Metropolitan … [+]
Tangent
Maloney will leave Congress this year after losing in the primaries to Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) after redistricting forced them to face off in the same Manhattan-based district.
Further Reading
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/11/21/rep-maloney-facing-ethics-investigation-over-met-gala-attendance/