The FBI seized Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) cell phone while executing a search warrant at his office, the lawmaker announced on Tuesday.
The seizures are part of a campaign finance investigation. The lawmaker acknowledged in a post on X that members of his team “made mistakes in our initial financial filings” but affirmed that they “have worked diligently with attorneys and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure compliance going forward.”
Ogles added: “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
Rep. Ogles won his primary race last Thursday. The search came the day after his victory.
Execution of the search warrant came immediately after Ogles defeated Courtney Johnston in the Republican primary as he seeks a second term in the U.S. Congress. Department of Justice guidelines generally prohibit law enforcement from taking any overt actions in investigations of a political candidate in the 60 days before an election.
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.
Ogles in July introduced the second Article of Impeachment against Vice President Harris. Lawmakers accused Harris of failing in her role as border czar, citing record-high illegal entry into the country. The article alleged that Harris misled the public and Congress about President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and refused to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from office.
The article included details related to crimes committed by illegal immigrants, emphasizing the impact the border crisis has had on public safety. Neither the first nor the second articles of impeachment have advanced in the House.
Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, handily defeated Nashville council member Courtney Johnston in last week’s primary. Despite a significant ad campaign launched by Johnston, the lawmaker won every part of the district except the Nashville suburbs.
