“Squad” Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) steered thousands of dollars to her husband and longtime security guard in the lead-up to the revelation that the congresswoman is under criminal investigation for her campaign’s major spending on private security, records show.
The Missouri Democrat’s campaign paid $17,500 between Oct. 2, 2023, and Dec. 28, 2023, to Bush’s husband Cortney Merritts for “wage expenses,” as well as $20,000 in roughly the same period for “security services” to a man named Joseph Walter, according to the congresswoman’s 2023 year-end Federal Election Commission filing released Wednesday evening. News of the payments comes after Bush confirmed on Tuesday the Justice Department is investigating her over allegedly misusing federal and campaign funds for private security.
“Missourians are outraged that congresswoman Cori Bush has spent her time in office vilifying law enforcement in our state and across the nation while simultaneously demanding extra security for herself,” Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, told the Washington Examiner. “It’s beyond hypocritical and would be deeply ironic if she broke the law in pursuit of additional security.”
Bush, a supporter of the left-wing “defund the police” movement, has dished out more than $100,000 since 2022 to Merritts, whom the lawmaker married in a private February 2023 ceremony. These disbursements, as well as the campaign’s security payments to the likes of her friend and “guru” Nathaniel Davis III, have been the focus of complaints that conservative watchdogs filed last year with the FEC that accused Bush of unlawfully diverting campaign funds for personal use.
In April 2023, Bush’s campaign began reclassifying payments to Merritts as “wage expenses” after they were described as “security services” payments in the past.
In a Tuesday statement, Bush denied any wrongdoing in connection to her payments for private security, asserting that she is “fully cooperating” with the government. She said the FEC and House Ethics Committee are investigating her.
Bush also denied on Tuesday that “any federal tax dollars” were used by her “for personal security services.” However, taxpayer-backed congressional records show Bush in 2021 spent $1,416 on personal security.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
On Wednesday, the Office of Congressional Ethics told the Washington Examiner it completed an investigation into Bush “a number of months ago,” with a spokesman noting he has “no idea” what the Justice Department is specifically investigating about Bush.
The OCE refers cases of alleged misconduct to the House Ethics Committee and is a nonpartisan body.