Cori Bush could be responsible for many crimes as the Justice Department continues its investigation into her alleged misuse of more than $750,000 in campaign funds for personal security.
The progressive Squad member has spent thousands of euros on security services from her campaign account since her election in 2020. That, she said, includes more than $120,000 to her husband, Courtney Merritts. her most recent campaign fileswhom she married in February 2023.
Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT) ethics watchdog told DailyMail.com that there are “a host of other possible charges” against Bush.
That’s because in any campaign finance case, the documents filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) “must be accurate,” she explained. Last March, FACT filed a complaint with the FEC about Bush’s campaign spending.
Arnold told DailyMail.com that the language in Bush’s FEC filings changed after her group filed the complaint — which could be a problem for the congresswoman.
Bush changed her description of her payments to her husband from “security” to “payroll costs,” Arnold said, calling it “disturbing.”
In addition to misusing campaign funds for personal use, Bush could also face charges of perjury, filing a false affidavit and mail fraud.
Cori Bush and her current husband Cortney Merritts together at the 2020 inauguration
“At the time, we strongly believed that there were several facts that led to the need for an investigation into Representative Bush’s payments to her then-husband,” Arnold told DailyMail.com of the initial filing.
“At issue was the amount she paid (Merritts), the fact that he was allegedly not licensed to perform the security services and that she also paid other individuals and another supplier for those same services.”
Merritts was not properly licensed to perform security duties in St. Louis – the district his wife represents – or Washington, D.C., at the time FACT filed their complaint. according to a Fox News report.
The D.C. Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, which manages the licensing database, did not immediately return a request for comment.
“That complaint is still pending before the FEC,” Arnold added. “And we won’t get a result back until they’ve finished and voted on it.”
The DOJ investigation, meanwhile, could take some time.
“The next step is basically waiting for the DOJ to do its job, and how long that takes varies,” Arnold said.
“We have no way of telling what exactly they are looking at, and exactly what evidence they are collecting,” she added.
“So at this point it’s really just a matter of waiting until they can do their job.”
Bush, R-Mo., married Cortney Merritts in a private ceremony in February 2023
Bush and Merritts are seen here with President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden during a Christmas party at the White House
Bush said Tuesday that she is cooperating with all ongoing investigations and called the complaints filed against her “frivolous.”
The investigation into Bush has roiled both Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives.
“If she broke the law and is charged and found guilty, then obviously 100 percent of her should be removed,” Moskowitz, D-Fla., told DailyMail.com on Tuesday.
Republican Tim Burchett of Tennessee told DailyMail.com that the DOJ should “throw the book at her” over the “crazy amount of money” she has spent on security.
“She hired her husband, who was not qualified to be that kind of security guard,” he added. “Well, I guess we’ll have to decide that; are we going to allow this activity to take place?’