Columbia Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles has remodeled two dozen corrections to his marketing campaign finance disclosures since his first run two years in the past, and a evaluate of his most up-to-date disclosure exhibits his donations and spending nonetheless don’t add up.
From April 2022 to July 12, 2024, Ogles’ amended marketing campaign finance reviews present he raised round $2 million, whereas his bills present he spent round $1.4 million, a Lookout evaluation of his marketing campaign finance information exhibits.
Ogles ought to have round $600,000 in money obtainable. His disclosure exhibits he has simply over $300,000 in money in his marketing campaign account, leaving one other $300,000 unaccounted for.
The discrepancy between money available and reported bills has been a problem for Ogles since he launched his candidacy in April 2022.
The Federal Election Fee despatched Ogles three letters a month in the past concerning this mismatch.
This discrepancy may very well be a purpose FBI brokers executed a search warrant on Ogles final week, following his victory in a Republican main to retain his Center Tennessee U.S. Home seat.
After NewsChannel 5 reported on the search warrant, the congressman took to Twitter to say that they had seized his telephone.
Federal election officials threaten Ogles with campaign finance audit or enforcement – again
“It has been extensively reported for months that my marketing campaign made errors in our preliminary monetary filings,” Ogles stated in a submit on X. “We have now labored diligently with attorneys and reporting consultants to appropriate the errors and guarantee compliance going ahead.
“Final Friday, the FBI took possession of my mobile phone. It’s my understanding that they’re investigating the identical well-known details surrounding these filings. I’ll in fact absolutely cooperate with them, simply as I’ve with the Federal Election Fee. I’m assured all concerned will conclude that the reporting discrepancies have been based mostly on sincere errors and nothing extra.”
The Lookout reached out to Ogles’ workplace and had not obtained a response by the point of publication.
When Ogles began his marketing campaign, he misled the general public by stating in a information launch that he raised round $450,000 with out loaning his marketing campaign any cash. In actuality, Ogles raised round $250,000 and claimed to mortgage his marketing campaign $320,000.
He then amended two years of marketing campaign finance reviews earlier this 12 months, stating that he had solely loaned $20,000 to his marketing campaign.
Ogles stated in a Could information launch that the extra $300,000 was in a joint account he shared along with his spouse. He claimed he solely discovered after the truth that this wasn’t allowed and stated his marketing campaign by no means used the money.
Ogles’ actions drew a grievance from the Marketing campaign Authorized Middle, a nonpartisan authorities watchdog. On prime of marketing campaign disclosure points, the group stated Ogles additionally didn’t disclose a $700,000 line of credit score he opened following his main win in 2022.
The group in contrast Ogles to former New York Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos, who, amongst many expenses, is alleged to have falsely claimed he loaned $500,000 to his marketing campaign in an try to pay himself from donations.
Ogles’ mortgage additionally helped him in the course of the essential early phases of his 2022 marketing campaign, when he confronted a crowded main discipline that included former Tennessee Home Speaker Beth Harwell.
He went on to win the first and defeat Nashville Democratic state Sen. Heidi Campbell within the Republican-titled seat.
Metro Council member Courtney Johnston challenged Ogles within the main this 12 months. She tried to assault him over these monetary discrepancies and different moral issues. However Ogles handily defeated her and is favored to win the seat within the November normal election when he faces Democrat Maryam Abolfazli.
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