In 2023, FACT filed an official complaint regarding the details of repeated payments Rep. Cori Bush made to a man who is currently her husband. In her own FEC filings the payments were initially characterized as being for "security.” Among the many troubling facts involved that we strongly felt justified an investigation were her close personal relationship, her large payments to others for the same services at the same time, and that her husband reportedly didn’t have a license to provide those services.
Tellingly, after our complaint was filed, Rep. Bush changed the language on her disclosure describing the continuing payments to her husband to something amorphous and vague, “wage payments,” which at a minimum is contrary to the intent of the law to clearly describe the purposes of campaign disbursements.
Our hope, as it always is with our complaints, is that a thorough and fair investigation reveals the truth of the matter and whether any legal violations have occurred.
The rules and laws governing the use and disclosure of federal campaign expenditures are written to ensure that those in Congress elected to represent us do so without personally profiting from their office. The facts here alone speak to the need for an investigation, citizens deserve the truth, and we are glad that several governmental bodies have found an investigation is merited and look forward to the outcomes.
You can read FACT's March 2023 press release and complaint here.
FACT is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas. For more on FACT, visit: http://www.factdc.org/
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