AOC email seeks donations for turkey giveaway — but money goes straight to her campaign coffers
Critics say AOC using her campaign for the turkey fundraiser blurs ethical lines. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez/ Facebook
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is under scrutiny for linking her annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway to her campaign fundraising efforts, prompting criticism from some political observers.
In an email sent last week, Ocasio-Cortez asked supporters: “Will you chip in $5 or anything you can today to help us bring the joy of the holiday season into homes around NYC this year?” However, clicking the link directed donors to a campaign fundraising page, where contributions are disclosed as benefiting “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress” and are not tax-deductible.
Ocasio-Cortez has hosted turkey giveaways in New York City since 2019, but unlike previous years when donations were routed directly to community organizations, this year the funds go to her campaign. In 2021, for example, she reported raising $33,589.64 for three local charities.
Critics argue that campaigns should not act as pass-throughs for charitable work. Former City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli commented, “This is a clear case of why a campaign is not a charitable organization.” City Councilman Robert Holden also expressed concern, noting that some politicians have hosted similar events without soliciting donations.
A review of other NYC politicians’ turkey drives found that most coordinate directly with local charities, community groups, or businesses donating turkeys. Only Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) used campaign funds, and Ocasio-Cortez was the only one actively soliciting contributions from constituents.
Federal Election Commission rules do not require politicians soliciting donations for community organizations to disclose how funds are spent, meaning there is no official way to track whether contributions translate into turkeys or other charitable support.
Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign manager, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, stated that the goal of the fundraiser is to purchase turkeys, and any surplus funds are directed to local food pantries. In an Instagram video, Ocasio-Cortez said the fundraiser allowed her office to provide over 1,600 turkeys in the Bronx, with an additional $20,000 donated to local food pantries.
Past statements about the number of turkeys distributed have varied: she cited 600 in 2024, while a campaign video from that year claimed 1,000, and she reported 650 in 2021. Her campaign did not respond to questions about these discrepancies.
Kiersten Pels, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, criticized the approach, saying it “blurs the line between charitable work and campaign fundraising.”
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