Fuck the NYT for not leading with this (but fuck it a little less for including it in the article at all):

Typically, attendees are dressed in custom-made garments at the expense of the designer, who often also covers the cost of admission.

However, House ethics rules prevent members of Congress from accepting gifts such as “a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance or other item having monetary value.”

Lawmakers and their spouses are permitted to attend charity events, but only if invited by the organization hosting the event. In this case, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Mr. Roberts were guests of Ms. Wintour and allowed to attend.

Investigators said that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and her staff had been mindful of the rules and were determined to pay for her gown and related costs incurred by the designer, Aurora James, and her company, Brother Vellies.

Rather than simply accepting the dress as a gift, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez asked to “rent” it and personally cover other costs associated with the evening.

The lawyer told the committee that her team was repeatedly told, “‘Met Gala attendees don’t normally pay for this.’”

So now they’re trying to twist “doing the right thing” into some form of corruption.

I can imagine some Republican PR guy:

“People love her. Go and find dirt on her.” … “That is all you found? Well, it’ll have to do.”