Rep. Andy Ogles Faces Scrutiny Over Amended Campaign Finance Reports

U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Faces Scrutiny Over Campaign Finance Reports

U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District has come under fire this week after amending nearly a dozen past campaign finance reports. The amendments revealed that a reported $320,000 personal loan he made to his campaign never actually happened.

Ogles, a Republican representative, has been facing questions about his financial reporting for months. Last year, he paid a fine to the Federal Election Commission for unrelated violations. The amended reports show that Ogles only loaned his campaign $20,000, not the $320,000 originally reported.

In a statement, Ogles defended his actions, stating, “I am a grassroots representative, and I pledged everything I own to run for the honor of representing Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional District. That $320,000 pledge comprised several documented assets, including bank and retirement accounts, which I was ready to personally risk for the chance to fight for Middle Tennessee. While we only needed to transfer $20,000, unfortunately, the full amount of my pledge was mistakenly included on my campaign’s FEC reports.”

However, the amended reports have raised further questions about Ogles’ campaign finances. Changes in contributions and disbursements in the first quarter of 2024 have sparked concerns. The Campaign Legal Center, a watchdog group that filed a complaint about Ogles, is still reviewing the amended filings.

In addition to his financial troubles, Ogles has faced criticism for his response to the Covenant School shooting in his district and his wavering stance on Republican leadership in the House. Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston is challenging him in the GOP primary, while gun control advocate Maryam Abolfazli is running for the seat as a Democrat.

Johnston criticized Ogles, stating, “Andy Ogles lied to the federal government and got caught. Normal folks get in big trouble for lying to the feds about money, but Andy is a politician who thinks he deserves a free pass and two more years of a taxpayer salary. If Andy Ogles is willing to lie about his own money, what won’t he lie about? Voters in Middle Tennessee deserve a member of Congress they can trust.”

The Ogles campaign could not be reached for further comment on the amended reports and the ongoing scrutiny surrounding his campaign finances.