U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., is not concerned with losing her congressional seat after the Department of Justice launched an investigation of her alleged misuse of campaign finances.
A representative for Bush’s campaign, who spoke to theGrio anonymously to speak freely about the probe, said, “Her constituents know and understand who Cori Bush is, and they trust her.”
The Bush campaign official added, “There are a lot of outside influences that are looking to discredit her and attack her for the work that she’s doing on behalf of the people in St. Louis.”
The campaign added that the two-term congresswoman maintains her innocence, saying there has been “no wrongdoing” and the current DOJ probe will “find that that’s the case.”
U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., told the Grio that the investigation was “gross and disgusting.”
He told theGrio that he believed this an attack against Bush and that once the “legal process plays out,” she would “be OK.”
Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross said, “Republicans have been attacking Cori Bush since she got elected.”
“She’s one of the most outspoken progressive members of Congress,” said Cross, who argued that there has been “a target on [Bush’s] back” since she entered office.
On Tuesday, the DOJ announced that it would investigate whether the Democratic lawmaker misused campaign funds by paying her husband, who serves as a member of her personal security detail.
In February 2023, Bush married her security guard, Cortney Merritts, who she kept on her campaign payroll as he continued to provide her with security services.
As a result, watchdog groups, including the Committee to Defeat the President, a super PAC that aims to stop President Joe Biden from being re-elected, and the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, a nonprofit organization that promotes government accountability, filed complaints with the Federal Election Commission against Bush.
According to federal law, U.S. lawmakers are prohibited from paying their relatives working in their offices. However, they can pay family members who work on their campaigns as long as “the family member is providing a bona fide service to the campaign” and “payments reflect the fair market value of those services.”
Bush’s campaign said the former Black Lives Matter activist and a progressive lawmaker needed personal security due to death threats she received since taking office.
“Her congressional office receives significant threats. It’s a daily occurrence,” the campaign representative.
“She’s being inundated with a threat to her physical safety, a threat to her life, and having previously been physically attacked.”
Cross, the Democratic strategist, noted that the threats made against Bush and her family are coming from “right-wing zealots.”
Last year, the Office of Congressional Ethics investigated previous complaints about Bush’s alleged misuse of campaign funds and voted to recommend a dismissal of the allegations.
“A similar outcome will take place here,” said the Bush campaign representative. “The investigation will find that she has complied with all applicable laws and rules.”
While Bush awaits the results from the DOJ’s investigation, a super PAC called the American Israel Public Affairs Committee launched a multi-million-dollar initiative against the congresswoman and other members of the so-called congressional “Squad” — progressive allies of Bush – to unseat them in the 2024 elections.
Last month, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, also known as AIPAC, announced that it would spend upwards of $100 million to oust “Squad” members, including Bush, Bowman, Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., over their criticism of Israel’s role in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Rep. Bowman told theGrio, “They’re attacking members of Congress who are simply fighting for justice and fighting for human rights.”
“If we let them win, we will have a fascist government in the next cycle,” he added. “That can’t happen.”
Cross said, “Bush speaks for what her voters actually want to see happen [and] I think they’re above ‘poli-tricks’ which is what is happening from the right and AIPAC.”
“I think that we’ve seen her stand as a progressive and stand on business on the issues she believes in, and, quite frankly, her voters have walked in lockstep with her,” she argued.
Bush’s campaign representative said voters in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District know “who their congresswoman is.”
The official continued, “She is the boots-on-the-ground kind of person…she has a really good pulse on her constituency.”
Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter.