Cori Bush denies allegation she improperly funneled campaign funds to husband after DOJ opens probe

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) has denied allegations that she has misused federal funds for personal security after a US Justice Department investigation was made public. She blamed "right-wing organizations" for the controversy.  

Bush told reporters on Capitol Hill, "I have not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services. Any reporting that I have used funds for personal security is simply false....right-wing organizations have launched baseless complaints against me." 

She also added that she holds her "campaign, and [her] position to the highest levels of transparency.”

The denial comes after Bush was the subject of a subpoena that was issued on the floor of Congress on Monday afternoon.  

Although her name was not mentioned at the time, later reporting revealed that Bush is now under investigation after a watchdog group, the nonpartisan Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), demanded that the Federal Election Commission investigate a payment of $62,000 that she paid to her now husband, Cortney Merritts, for security.  

In an ethics complaint filed by FACT executive director Kendra Arnold wrote, "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." 

"If so, these payments would qualify as either impermissible payments to a family member or an impermissible gift," Arnold added.  

Merrits and Bush were married in February 2023, however, Merrits had been on the campaign's payroll during 2022.  

Bush, who has advocated defunding the police, had Merrits on her campaign security detail where he was paid 24 bi-weekly installments of $2,500 during 2022 for his security services, according to Federal Election Commission records.