Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Campaign Expenditures: Luxury Hotels, Fine Dining, and Venue Rentals in Puerto Rico and Beyond
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign expenses in Puerto Rico between late June and September included luxury hotels, expensive meals, and a significant amount spent on a venue rental at the San Juan arena where she was seen dancing at a Bad Bunny concert. Videos from the trip showed her visiting a housing development and dancing at the concert with Rep. Nydia Velázquez. The campaign spent over $15,000 at two luxury hotels in San Juan and over $10,500 on meals and catering services during the same period.
The campaign's expenditures in Puerto Rico included payments to luxury hotels like Hotel Palacio Provincial and Hotel El Convento, totaling over $15,000 for lodging alone. Additionally, over $10,000 was spent on catering and meals at high-end restaurants in San Juan. The campaign also spent more than $23,000 on venue rental at the Coliseo De Puerto Rico, where Bad Bunny held concerts as part of his "Residency" tour.
In response to the article, Ocasio-Cortez's campaign manager stated that she travels to Puerto Rico to support local causes and host events that require staff and security. The campaign also spent thousands on luxury hotels and high-end food vendors in the U.S. during the same period, including stays at boutique hotels and upscale restaurants. The campaign's expenses included stays at hotels like the Hotel Vermont in Burlington, the Thompson Central Park hotel, and the Arlo Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
Furthermore, the campaign spent significant amounts on high-end restaurants in various locations, such as a fancy restaurant in D.C. called Ama and ice cream from Mr. Ding-a-ling Ice Cream in New York. Catering expenses from D.C.-area executive chef Caleb Jang and meals at other high-end restaurants in D.C., Vermont, and New York were also listed in the FEC report, totaling over $7,000.