The FBI seized U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ cellphone on Friday as part of an investigation it believed related to his campaign finance filings, the new congressman said in a social media post Tuesday afternoon.
“It has been widely reported for months that my campaign made errors in our initial financial filings,” Ogles said in the message to X, formerly known as Twitter. “We have been working diligently with attorneys and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure compliance going forward. I understand they are investigating the same known facts surrounding these filings.”
Ogles’ phone was taken the day after he survived a primary challenge last week. The congressman faces ongoing scrutiny over his federal campaign finance filings and personal financial disclosures.
Ogles is seeking re-election this year in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, with the support of former President Donald Trump. Ogles defeated a well-funded primary challenge Thursday night from Republican Courtney Johnston, who questioned Ogles’ integrity and first-term record. The U.S. Justice Department generally does not openly investigate political candidates that could affect how people vote within 60 days of an election.
Elizabeth Clement-Webb, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Memphis office, would not confirm or deny the search, in accordance with U.S. Justice Department policy.
Mark Wildasin, spokesman for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, declined to confirm or deny the existence of a search warrant.
Ogles’ congressional office did not respond to a request for comment. His chief of staff referred The Tennessean to Ogles’ social media post.
Channel 5 reported earlier Tuesday that the FBI had executed a search warrant for Ogles, but did not specify where the search took place or what exactly was searched.
Ogles has been under close scrutiny for more than two years and has faced multiple complaints about his federal campaign finance disclosures.
Shortly before the 2022 primary, a complaint was filed against him with the Federal Election Commission, alleging a “pattern of misconduct” in Ogles’ financial dealings. Ogles’ attorney responded to a request for comment with a threat of legal action.
He has also faced chronic problems stemming from his campaign finance disclosures, having to pay $5,750 in civil penalties for campaign finance violations after the 2022 cycle, the Nashville Scene first reported.
He recently admitted that a $320,000 loan he reported as cash to the FEC over two years was in fact a “promise” for financing for which a need never arose.
“We had money set aside. It was in a joint account, which you can’t do ― we know that now ― so technically we have to go back and say the campaign didn’t have full control,” Ogles said. “But that said, when my wife and I decided that I was going to run for Congress, we set aside every penny we had to put into the race.”
Ogles’ personal financial disclosures do not reflect a savings or checking account under Ogles’ control with the amount he said he provided to his campaign. But his disclosure does include a mortgage loan originated in January 2022 in the corresponding amount range. Maury County property records do not reflect any real estate purchases by Ogles in January 2022. But he did buy a house next door to his family home in September, just after he won the primary. He later sold that house to his congressional district director for a $60,000 loss.
“That money was real, it existed, and it was ready to be used. Fortunately, we didn’t have to use it,” Ogles said during a recent radio interview. “That was money that we had saved over time by being frugal. It was a big commitment. We went all in. … We really felt that this was a God thing.”
Ogles has publicly stated that he hired an outside campaign finance compliance consultant to “look under a magnifying glass” and fix the errors reported to the FEC.
Ogles said in his social media post Tuesday that he would cooperate with the FBI and FEC.
“I am confident that all involved will conclude that the discrepancies in the reporting were based on honest mistakes, and nothing more,” he wrote.
Ogles is also currently facing an ethics complaint filed in January by the Campaign Legal Center, which seeks an investigation into discrepancies in the congressman’s financial disclosures, including the $320,000 personal loan.
Kedric Payne, director of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, said Tuesday that the watchdog expects the FBI to launch an investigation, as there were significant discrepancies in Ogles’ financial reports. Still, the swift action is surprising.
Payne, a former deputy chief counsel for the Office of Congressional Ethics, said such investigations typically take much longer.
“With such a quick move, the evidence has to be strong, especially to turn it into an election year,” he said. “It looks like what we’ve been complaining about is the tip of the iceberg of what’s possibly going on. It looks very serious.”
Ogles has also admitted he was “mistaken” about the degree he earned from Middle Tennessee State University after it emerged he inflated his qualifications and work experience during the 2022 primary.
Kelly Puente, article editor, contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: FBI seizes phone of Rep. Andy Ogles over campaign finance issues
