The husband of Missouri Representative Cori Bush, a member of the far-left “Squad,” has come under scrutiny for receiving thousands of dollars in cash from his wife’s campaign. Cortney Merritts, who initially denied having any role in the campaign, has received a total of $102,500 in payments since January 2022, which were initially categorized as “security” payments before being changed to “wage expenses” in April. Despite multiple attempts to contact Bush’s campaign for clarification on these payments, no response has been received.
Recently, while leaving a fundraiser in Washington, D.C., Fox News Digital confronted Merritts and questioned him about his position with the campaign and the money he has received. When asked about his role in the campaign, Merritts initially denied having a role but later admitted to still being employed and working on campaign security. He also referred to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) report that allegedly cleared him of any wrongdoing.
It is worth noting that Bush’s campaign has spent a significant amount of money with security companies based in St. Louis, including payments to Merritts. While politicians are allowed to pay their family members from campaign funds if they provide legitimate services at fair market value, Merritts did not have a private security license nor appeared in the database of licensed security specialists in Washington, D.C.
The payments to Merritts have prompted complaints from conservative watchdog groups, and while Bush has been cleared of one complaint by the ethics committee, another complaint filed by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust is still pending. Despite these ongoing issues, Bush’s campaign has not provided any comment or response to Fox News Digital’s inquiries.
In conclusion, the payments made to Cori Bush’s husband from her campaign have raised questions about the nature of these payments and his role in the campaign. The lack of transparency and response from the campaign has only fueled further speculation and triggered complaints from watchdog groups. The controversy surrounding these payments adds to the growing scrutiny of Bush’s campaign finances.