(CBrief) – New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got testy with a reporter when asked about her future plans.

In a new profile for Politico, AOC played coy on whether she planned to challenge fellow New York Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for one of New York’s Senate seats. Gillibrand is up for re-election in 2024.

Asked about possibly running for the Senate, Ocasio-Cortez replied, “don’t ask me that question,” before telling the publication to “print that” response.

AOC has some other issues on her plate that may influence her next political move.

The House Office of Congressional Ethics found there is “substantial reason to believe” that Ocasio-Cortez might have violated federal law when she accepted “impermissible gifts” linked to her 2021 attendance at the Met Gala.

Ocasio-Cortez went viral at the time when she attended the star-studded event wearing a dress that had the words “Tax the Rich” across the back of it.

“The circumstances surrounding Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (or AOC) attendance – and, more importantly, her wardrobe choices and cost – at the exclusive 2021 Met Gala last year may have broken federal law and House rules, the bipartisan Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics decided in a 5-0 vote,” MSN reported.

The Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics found in its ruling: “The Board finds that there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala. Accordingly, the Board recommends that the Committee further review the above allegation that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala.”

Here’s more from the report:

The rental of her “Tax the Rich” dress cost $1,200. The matching shoes cost $635. The handbag rental cost $170 for a total of $2,283, including sales tax. A Sept. 9, 2021, bill was provided by a publicist for Brother Vellies, which provided Ocasio-Cortez’s outfit for the Met Gala, to one of the congresswoman’s campaign staffers.

A revised bill dated Sept. 20 reduced the gown rental to $300 and the overall rental to $990. The committee interviewed the campaign staffer about the discrepancy between the first bill and the second bill and was unable to explain the change. Brother Vellies declined to cooperate with the committee.

AOC was supposed to have paid the invoice for the rental but only did so after the committee began its investigation. The rental company and the woman who did the congresswoman’s hair identified $5,799.99 worth of unpaid bills related to Ocasio-Cortez’s gown rental, transportation, room rental, shoes, and bowtie rented by Ocasio-Cortez’s boyfriend.

Conde Nast Transportation paid the outstanding $5,799 on May 10, 2022.

The report stated that “Rep. Ocasio-Cortez may not have paid for several thousands of dollars’ worth of goods and services provided to her” had it not been for the committee investigation.

AOC, who has denied any wrongdoing, rented the dress for the occasion, as well as accessories and hair and makeup services she received but apparently didn’t pay for until after the formal review had been initiated against her.

The Office of Congressional Ethics concluded that if Ocasio-Cortez “accepted impermissible gifts, then she may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.”

Lauren Hilt, a spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez, said they are confident the lawmaker did not violate House rules.

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