Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., paid her husband $15,000 from her candidate committee this year, bringing his total to $135,000 for security services since January 2022. This payment comes as Bush faces a Justice Department probe into her campaign spending practices. The payments were made in two $2,500 installments each month between January and March, listed as “wage expenses” in recent filings. Bush has defended these payments, stating that she used campaign funds for security as she is not entitled to personal protection by the House.
While politicians are allowed to pay family members for services as long as they are “bona fide” and at fair market value, questions have been raised about the nature of the security services provided by Bush’s husband, Cortney Merritts. He did not have a private security license in late February 2023 and did not appear in a database of licensed security specialists in Washington, D.C. Additionally, the campaign has spent significantly more on other security providers, raising concerns about the value of the services provided by Merritts. Watchdog groups have filed complaints over these payments, but Bush has denied any wrongdoing.
In response to the scrutiny over the payments to her husband, Bush’s campaign has not provided a comment on the matter. During a confrontation with a Fox News Digital reporter, Merritts initially denied having a role in the campaign but later acknowledged his employment in providing security services. Despite the controversy surrounding these payments, Bush continues to face financial challenges in her re-election campaign, with opponent Wesley Bell holding considerably more funds. Bell, a progressive prosecuting attorney, is backed by wealthy Democratic donors and currently leads Bush in the polls by 22 points.
These developments come amid ongoing investigations into Bush’s campaign spending by the Department of Justice, focusing on the payments made to her husband for security services. The campaign has spent over $770,000 on private security, with Merritts receiving a significant portion of that amount. While Bush maintains that the payments were made for necessary security services at fair market value, questions remain about the appropriateness of the arrangement. The outcome of the investigations and their impact on Bush’s re-election prospects remain uncertain.
