The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a criminal investigation into Missouri Rep. Cori Bush for alleged misspending of federal security money.
According to six sources familiar with the investigation, the DOJ has reportedly subpoenaed the House Sergeant at Arms regarding the alleged misspent funds, per Punchbowl News' founder Jake Sherman.
The investigation follows a March 2023 complaint filed by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The complaint asked the FEC to investigate the Missouri representative for allegedly using campaign funds for "personal use" after Bush married Cortney Merritts in February that year.
In 2022, Merritts was paid $60,000 to provide security services to the Missouri representative.
“It appears Rep. Bush’s campaign may have made payments for services that were unnecessary or above fair market value because of her personal relationship with the payee,” executive director of FACT Kendra Arnold wrote in the organization's 2023 complaint. “If so, these payments would qualify as either impermissible payments to a family member or an impermissible gift.”
“Therefore, we request the FEC investigate whether Rep. Bush converted campaign funds for personal use by paying a salary that was not for bona fide services at fair market value,” the complaint continued. “Ultimately, if one or more campaign laws are found to have been broken, we request the FEC hold the respondents accountable.”
Bush confirmed the DOJ's investigation into her on Tuesday afternoon.
"First, and foremost, I hold myself, my campaign, and my position to the highest levels of integrity," she wrote in a statement. "I also believe in integrity, which is why I can confirm that the Department of Justice is reviewing my campaign's spending on security services."
The Missouri representative said her office is cooperating with the DOJ, though wanted to "outline" facts surrounding the allegations.
"Since I was sworn into office, I have endured relentless threats to my physical safety and life,” she wrote. “As a rank-and-file member of Congress, I am not entitled to protection by the House, and instead have used campaign funds as permissible to retain security services.”
Bush said she had not used federal tax dollars for personal security services.
“In recent months, right-wing organizations have lodged baseless complaints against me, peddling notions that I have misused campaign funds for personal security services,” Bush continued. “That is simply not true. I have complied with all applicable laws and House rules—and will continue to prioritize the rules that govern us as federal elected officials.”
Bush said she had retained husband Merritts as part of her security team because of his “extensive experience in the area” and was able to provide the service “at or below a fair market rate.” “I am under no illusion that these right-wing organizations will stop politicizing and pursuing efforts to attack me and the work that the people of St. Louis sent me to Congress to do: to lead boldly, to legislate change my constituents can feel, and to save lives,” she concluded.Loading...
Bush, a member of the progressive congressional Democrat coalition "The Squad," has previously had her finances called into question.
In 2021, the Missouri representative, who has supported efforts to overhaul and reallocate funds for police, infamously insisted she needed private security because of threats to her wellbeing.
“I’m going to make sure I have security because I know I have had attempts on my life and I have too much work to do,” Bush said in August that year. “So, suck it up, defunding the police has to happen. We need to defund the police and put that money into social safety nets because we’re trying to save lives.”
Bush has reportedly spent over half a million dollars on private security, including 24 payments of $2,500 to Merritts prior to their marriage. The Missouri representative also reportedly spent another $225,000 on PEACE security, along with another $50,000 to private security guard Nathanial Davis.
