Democratic firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rode into office railing against the influence of big money and hidden donors in U.S. elections. Yet the political operation that helped elect her to Congress was itself less than transparent -- exposing her to attacks from conservative foes.

The New York congresswoman raised a hefty $2 million for her 2018 election while refusing to take money from business-related political action committees. Of that, 61 percent came from individuals giving less than $200 -- the highest rate of small-dollar funding among current U.S. House members.

At the same time, Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign committee and two PACs paid almost $900,000 to a consulting company for campaign services, providing few details on what the money was for or who ultimately received it.

The unorthodox arrangement -- she sat on the board of one of the PACs, both of which were co-founded by the person who is now her chief-of-staff, who also ran the consulting company -- appears to have taken advantage of gaps in the law, including the low level of detail that campaigns and PACs are required to provide about their spending.

The intricate ties and the lack of transparency have opened her to charges of hypocrisy and prompted complaints to the Federal Election Commission by conservative groups, though the allegations may amount to little more than paperwork violations.

Ocasio-Cortez, in a tweet, called the complaints "bogus," and said "This is how the misinformation machine works, folks."

David Mitrani, a lawyer for Ocasio-Cortez, the PACs and the company, in a statement said any implication “that these entities in any way operated with less than full transparency or in some way to skirt the law, are absolutely and unequivocally false.”

Progressive Vanguard

Since her surprise defeat of a 10-term incumbent in a primary last year, Ocasio-Cortez, 29, has quickly become the voice of a progressive vanguard of newly elected House Democrats who are trying to push the party to the left in challenging President Donald Trump in 2020.

Supporters say her high profile and social-media prowess have made her a target for conservative groups, some of which are leveling flimsy accusations in hopes of dimming the House’s fastest-rising star. “It’s right-wing groups that are really questionable in what they’re doing," Corbin Trent, a spokesman for Ocasio-Cortez, said.

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