AOC hires ex-Socialist boss to handle campaign cash

First on Fox: Former top leader and “life member” of the Democratic Socialists of America since first running for Congress in 2018, “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y. are on a mission.

Frank Llewellyn, former director of America’s largest socialist organization and a founding member of the socialist group that would later become DSA’s sister organization, served as treasurer for both Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign and her political action committee, Courage to Change.

According to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign, Llewellyn has been paid a total of more than $250,000 in salary, travel and other administrative expenses since 2018. Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings Reviewed by Fox News Digital. Disbursements range from $77.50 for cellphone, travel and Internet stipends and approximately $1,281 in salary payments every two weeks.

In addition to working on Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign, Llewellyn also sits on the board of the Democratic Socialists of America Fund, a sister organization. Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), according to the group’s website.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., (left) hires Frank Llewellyn, former national director of the Democratic Socialists of America. (AP; Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

“Frank Llewellyn was the original convener of the Institute for Democratic Socialism which later became the Democratic Socialists of America Fund,” DSA Fund Website says “A lifelong activist and socialist, he has served the Democratic Socialists of America in New York City since the organization’s founding. He served on its national political committee and as national director for over ten years.”

Llewellyn was National Director of DSA for over ten years from 2001 to 2011. Llewellyn confirmed to Fox News Digital that he is a “lifetime member” of DSA and has been on Ocasio-Cortez’s staff since her first election in 2018.

The most notable achievement of the DSA during Llewellyn’s directorship was the selection of Sen. Bernie SandersI-Vt., in 2006. Llewellyn wrote an article in DSA’s magazine celebrating Sanders’ election as the first time in American history that “a self-proclaimed socialist has won a seat in the United States Senate.” In the article, Llewellyn detailed the DSA’s deep involvement in Sanders’ campaign, saying his successful campaign fundraising was “a huge accomplishment that we can be very proud of.”

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and rape. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., welcomes the crowd together during the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour event at Arizona State University, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (Ross D. Franklin)

Llewellyn wrote that “In the coming period, it is imperative that we utilize our newly acquired grassroots networks and truly utilize our relationships. Progressive Democrats and Bernie Sanders, to promote both a progressive agenda and a progressive organization.”

The organization later endorsed Sanders during the 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.

A check of Llewellyn’s social media reveals that he is an active member of the Queens branch of the New York City DSA. He regularly posts about Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders, as well as New York City’s socialist mayoral candidates. Johran Mamdaniwho is also an active member of DSA. In a 2021 Facebook post, Llewellyn said he was “very happy to vote for Queen’s DSA endorsing (Mamdani)” when he successfully ran for the New York State Assembly.

Despite Mamdani’s double-digit lead in the New York City mayoral race, raising concerns about the rise of socialism in America, a recent Fox News national poll showed that capitalism is more popular than socialism. However, voters indicated that they support raising taxes on the wealthy.

Fox News Digital previously reported On the DSA’s heavy influence on the Mamdani campaign, the July panel highlighted how DSA members closely cooperated with Mamdani and how he positioned the organization to “seize state power”.

DSA organizer Daniel Golden claimed the organization was closely involved in Mamdani’s campaign, even helping to write parts of his platform.

“With Zohran, we’re basically in the best position to capture state power that we can be because, you know, that’s who we are,” Golden said, pointing to the fact that the campaign and organization are very close.

Golden went on to suggest that “one of the things that makes Zohran really successful with his policy rollouts is his reliance on DSA in particular..”

The AOC and Sanders, who are both self-proclaimed democratic socialists, have endorsed and promoted Mamdani’s campaign. Participating in the rally With him next Sunday.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani hold hands during a town hall “Fighting Oligarchy” event at Brooklyn College on September 6, 2025. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

The national DSA association and its chapters, including NYC-DSA, have shared views on many of the issues they’ve spoken about, including their distaste for ICE and cracking down on “bad landlords” by taking control of city properties when a landlord refuses to make repairs or “persistently neglects” their tenants.

Earlier this year, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders went on a “fighting oligarchy” tour against “billionaires and corporate greed,” which drew more than 300,000 attendees to 34 rallies in 20 states, according to Sanders.

Ocasio-Cortez Faced with criticism For pilfering thousands at boutique hotels during the tour. Sanders also faced backlash after Fox News went digital Exposed him and AOC To fly on private jets, handing out millions of dollars during the tour.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office and the DSA for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey, Andrew Mark Miller and Victoria Balara contributed to this report.