DOJ Probes Cori Bush’s Taxpayer-Funded Security

Clear Facts

• The Department of Justice (DOJ) is conducting a criminal probe into Democratic Missouri Rep. Cori Bush for spending taxpayer money on private security.
• Bush, who has advocated for defunding the police, spent over $30,000 on her own security according to her April Quarterly 2021 financial report.
• Bush released a statement confirming the DOJ’s review of her campaign’s spending on security services, asserting that she has not used federal funds for personal security and has complied with all applicable laws and House rules.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly conducting a criminal probe of Democratic Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, who has repeatedly pushed to defund the police, after spending taxpayer money on private security for herself. According to Punchbowl News, the Justice Department has subpoenaed the House Sergeant at Arms for records relating to the misspending of federal security money. The Daily Caller first reported in April that Bush and members of the far-left Democratic Party group in Congress called “the Squad” spent thousands of campaign funds on private security.

According to the Statement of Disbursements of the House records, Bush also spent taxpayer funds on a day of private security for herself between Jan. 1 to March 31. Bush, a freshman Democrat who has vocally pushed to defund the police, spent over $30,000 on her own security, according to her April Quarterly 2021 financial report.

Bush sent out a tweet in Dec. 2020 criticizing former President Barack Obama for not calling to defund the police. “With all due respect, Mr. President — let’s talk about losing people. We lost Michael Brown Jr. We lost Breonna Taylor. We’re losing our loved ones to police violence. It’s not a slogan. It’s a mandate for keeping our people alive. Defund the police,” Bush said in the tweet.

The Daily Caller contacted Bush’s office about the reported DOJ criminal probe, to which Bush later released a statement: “First and foremost, I hold myself, my campaign, and my position to the highest levels of integrity. I also believe in transparency which is why I can confirm that the Department of Justice is reviewing my campaign’s spending on security services. We are fully cooperating in this investigation, and I would like to take this opportunity to outline the facts and the truth. Since before I was sworn into office, I have endured relentless threats to my physical safety and life. As a rank-and-file member of Congress I am not entitled to personal protection by the House, and instead have used campaign funds as permissible to retain security services. I have not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services. Any reporting that I have used federal funds for personal security is simply false. In recent months, right-wing organizations have lodged baseless complaints against me, peddling notions that I have misused campaign funds to pay for personal security services. That is simply not true. I have complied with all applicable laws and House rules—and will continue to prioritize the rules that govern us as federal elected officials. In particular, the nature of these allegations have been around my husband’s role on the campaign. In accordance with all applicable rules, I retained my husband as part of my security team to provide security services because he has had extensive experience in this area, and is able to provide the necessary services at or below a fair market rate. These frivolous complaints have resulted in a number of investigations, some of which are still ongoing. The Federal Election Commission and the House Committee on Ethics are currently reviewing the matter, as is the Department of Justice. We are fully cooperating in all of these pending investigations. In September of last year, after conducting a months-long investigation, the Office of Congressional Ethics found no wrongdoing and voted unanimously to dismiss the case. I look forward to this same outcome from all pending investigations. I am under no illusion that these right-wing organizations will stop politicizing and pursuing efforts to attack me and the work that the people of St. Louis sent me to Congress to do: to lead boldly, to legislate change my constituents can feel, and to save lives.”

Clear Thoughts (op-ed)

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is conducting a criminal probe into Democratic Missouri Rep. Cori Bush for spending taxpayer money on private security. This investigation comes on the heels of her advocating for defunding the police, while spending over $30,000 on her own security, according to her April Quarterly 2021 financial report.

Bush’s hypocrisy is staggering. She has been a vocal critic of the police, going so far as to criticize former President Barack Obama for not calling to defund the police. Yet, she has no problem spending thousands of dollars on her own protection.

In response to the DOJ criminal probe, Bush released a statement asserting that she has not used federal funds for personal security and has complied with all applicable laws and House rules. However, the ongoing investigation and her blatant double standard speak volumes about her true priorities.

As a conservative, I believe in the importance of law and order, and the role of the police in maintaining a safe and secure society. It’s time for politicians like Bush to stop playing politics with our safety and start focusing on the real issues facing our nation.

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