Just as Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN) is battling accusations of faking campaign finance reports, FBI investigators have intensified their probe into the first-term Republican by executing a search warrant at his Tennessee home. This comes as Ogles considers running for a second term in the US Congress, having just defeated Courtney Johnston in the Republican primary.
Ogles revealed on social media on Wednesday that the raid had resulted in the seizure of his cell phone. Nonetheless, the FBI has remained silent on the subject, with a representative referring all questions to the U.S.
“It has been widely reported for months that my campaign made mistakes in our initial financial filings. We have worked diligently with attorneys and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure compliance going forward,” Ogles wrote.
“Last Friday, the FBI took possession of my cell phone. It is my understanding that they are investigating the same well-known facts surrounding these filings. I will of course fully cooperate with them, just as I have with the Federal Election Commission. I am confident all involved will conclude that the reporting discrepancies were based on honest mistakes, and nothing more.”
It has been widely reported for months that my campaign made mistakes in our initial financial filings. We have worked diligently with attorneys and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure compliance going forward. Last Friday, the FBI took possession of my cell phone.…
— Congressman Andy Ogles (@AndyOgles) August 6, 2024
Middle District of Tennessee Attorney’s Office. Curiously, local police officials in Ogles’ home county of Maury, claimed to be unaware of the search, although admitting to NewsChannel 5 that a warrant had recently been executed there.
Residents in Ogles’ rural area reported no unusual activity surrounding his home at the time of the search, despite the case being highly publicized. Given that overt efforts in political investigations are often discouraged within 60 days of an election by Department of Justice standards, the timing of this occurrence has generated a great deal of curiosity.
In 2022, Ogles was elected to the US House of Representatives, serving Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, which runs south through more conservative districts and includes portions of Nashville. Prior to being elected to Congress, Ogles held the office of mayor of Tennessee’s Maury County, where he was well-known for his fiscal conservatism and resistance to government regulations pertaining to healthcare and education.
NewsChannel 5 reported:
Back in May, Ogles filed a series of amended campaign financial reports, admitting he had not personally loaned his campaign $320,000 as he had reported back in 2022.
Other amendments to his campaign financial reports resulted in Ogles retracting claims regarding thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and expenditures that he had previously reported to the Federal Election Commission.
That development came several months after NewsChannel 5 Investigates raised questions about whether Ogles had the financial resources to make that personal loan. Despite having reported making the $320,000 personal loan, Ogles’ personal financial disclosures did not show any substantial investments — not even a savings account.
A watchdog group, the Campaign Legal Center, later filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics, comparing Ogles’ conduct to disgraced New York Congressman George Santos…
Regarding the FBI investigation, Ogles said: “I will of course fully cooperate with them, just as I have with the Federal Election Commission. I am confident all involved will conclude that the reporting discrepancies were based on honest mistakes, and nothing more.”
