Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee announced on social media that the FBI had confiscated his cellphone as part of an investigation into issues with his campaign finance reporting. Ogles, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, stated that he would fully cooperate with the FBI, noting that he had already done so with the Federal Election Commission. The FBI is reportedly looking into discrepancies in Ogles’ financial filings, including a reported $320,000 loan to his campaign that was later adjusted to $20,000.
A January ethics complaint filed by the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center raised concerns about Ogles’ personal and campaign finances. The complaint pointed out that there were no assets disclosed that would allow Ogles to make a $320,000 loan to his campaign committee, and there was no public record supporting this claim. The complaint called for transparency and answers from Ogles regarding the discrepancies in his financial disclosures.
Ogles later clarified that he had intended to “pledge” $320,000 to his campaign, but that pledge was mistakenly included in his campaign reports as a loan. The Campaign Legal Center emphasized the importance of financial disclosure laws to ensure transparency and eliminate potential conflicts of interest among elected officials. The FBI neither confirmed nor denied the investigation, citing Justice Department policy, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee declined to comment.
Despite facing criticism and allegations of financial impropriety, Ogles recently defeated a well-funded Republican opponent in a primary election. The opponent had described Ogles as a “do-nothing grandstander” mired in scandals. Ogles previously faced backlash for voting against Kevin McCarthy’s prolonged speakership nomination, ultimately switching to support him. He also faced controversy over inaccuracies in his resume, including falsely claiming to have graduated with an international relations degree.
In the upcoming November election, Ogles will face Democrat Maryam Abolfazli, who criticized the FBI’s investigation and called for Ogles to step down due to ongoing scandals. Ogles has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration, filing articles to impeach both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Ogles won his seat in 2022 after Republicans redrew Tennessee’s congressional districts in their favor, splitting the heavily Democratic Nashville area into three seats. Ogles is a former mayor of Maury County, located two counties south of Nashville.
