In a recent scandal that highlights the issues of fraud, waste, and corruption faced by the Department of Government Efficiency under Elon Musk’s leadership, a case from early 2024 has resurfaced, revealing significant potential misconduct. Former Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush, a member of the “Squad,” has come under investigation for the alleged misuse of federal funds.
This controversy centers around her security arrangements. Reports from early 2024 disclosed that she was compensating her husband with substantial sums for purportedly providing her security. Many critics argue that this contract was designed to divert funds into her husband’s hands for her personal gain, similar to a recent scandal involving Senator Whitehouse. In January 2024, it was reported that the Department of Justice was looking into her financial dealings concerning these funds.
Moreover, Rep. Bush has shown no remorse regarding her actions. Throughout the last days of January 2024, she defended her choice to allocate tens of thousands of dollars to her husband for “security” services. By April 2024, several months into the investigation, it was revealed that she continued to pay her husband thousands for the same services. On April 18, 2024, the Daily Mail reported that her most recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing indicated she had paid her husband an astonishing $15,000 in the first quarter of 2024, including payments made after the DOJ probe into her alleged financial misconduct commenced. The situation deteriorated further, as the latest FEC data, covering through December 2024—after her defeat in the primary—showed that former Rep. Bush continued to pay her husband, Cortney Merrits, the standard amount of $5,000 even after April, with these transactions persisting until the end of December.The most recent payment, categorized as a “wage expense,” was made on December 31, 2024, with all payments following April 3, 2023. According to data from the FEC, a total of 48 payments were issued, each consisting of bi-monthly wage and security payments amounting to $2,500. Below are some of the final payments made from Rep. Bush’s office to Cortney Merritts, as indicated by the FEC:
Will Tanner from The American Tribune highlighted this issue in a post on X, questioning the status of the investigation. He stated, “What happened to this investigation? I was trying to research the outcome [of the investigation into former Rep. Bush’s spending], but found nothing other than the original story about her being investigated and this update…Does anyone know? @DOGE this might be something to look into.”
In response to the unfolding scandal, Rep. Bush issued a statement asserting her complete innocence. She began her statement by emphasizing her commitment to integrity, saying, “First and foremost, I hold myself, my campaign, and my position to the highest levels of integrity. I also believe in transparency, which is why I can confirm that the Department of Justice is reviewing my campaign’s spending on security services. We are fully cooperating in this investigation, and I would like to take this opportunity to outline the facts and the truth.”
She further defended her substantial expenditures on her husband’s wages, arguing that it was essential to utilize federal funds for her security detail. Despite her previous stance advocating for the defunding of police services for the general public, she remarked, “Since before I was sworn into office, I have endured relentless threats to my physical safety and life. As a rank-and-file member of Congress, I am not entitled to personal protection by the House, and instead have used campaign funds as permissible to retain security services. I have not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services. Any reporting that I have used federal funds for personal security is simply untrue.”In her subsequent remarks, she tackled the matter of her husband’s position within the security detail. Rather than acknowledging her own conduct, she shifted the blame onto the right, claiming they were unjustly targeting her. She stated, “Specifically, the allegations pertain to my husband’s involvement in the campaign. In compliance with all relevant regulations, I included my husband in my security team to provide security services due to his extensive experience in this field, allowing him to offer necessary services at or below a competitive market rate. These baseless complaints have led to several investigations, some of which are still in progress.”
Furthermore, she asserted that an investigation would ultimately vindicate her, attributing the ongoing inquiries to right-wing political motivations. She remarked, “The Federal Election Commission, the House Committee on Ethics, and the Department of Justice are all currently examining the situation. We are fully cooperating with these ongoing investigations. In September of last year, following a thorough investigation lasting several months, the Office of Congressional Ethics found no misconduct and unanimously voted to dismiss the case. I anticipate a similar resolution from all current investigations. I am fully aware that these right-wing groups will continue their politicization and efforts to undermine me and the work that the constituents of St. Louis elected me to accomplish: to lead decisively, to enact meaningful legislation, and to save lives.”
