The FBI on Friday took possession of U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ cell phone as part of an investigation he believed concerned his campaign finance filings, the freshman congressman said in a social media post Tuesday afternoon.
“It has been widely reported for months that my campaign made mistakes in our initial financial filings,” Ogles said in the post made to X, formerly known as Twitter. “We have worked diligently with attorneys and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure compliance going forward. It is my understanding that they are investigating the same well-known facts surrounding these filings.”
Ogles’ phone was taken one day after he survived a primary election challenge last week. The congressman faces ongoing scrutiny over his federal campaign finance filings, and personal finance disclosures.
Ogles is seeking re-election in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional district this year, with former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Ogles defeated a well-funded primary challenge from Republican Courtney Johnston on Thursday evening, who challenged Ogles’ integrity and first-term record. U.S. Department of Justice typically does not take overt investigative action against political candidates that could influence how people vote within 60 days of an election.
Elizabeth Clement-Webb, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Memphis Field Office declined to confirm or deny the search, pursuant to U.S. Department of Justice policy.
Mark Wildasin, spokesperson for the U.S. District 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 directed The Tennessean to Ogles’ social media post.
Channel 5 reported earlier Tuesday that the FBI executed a search warrant on Ogles but did not specify where the search occurred nor what was searched.
For more than two years, Ogles has faced scrutiny and multiple complaints over his federal campaign finance disclosures.
Shortly before the primary in 2022, an Federal Election Commission complaint was filed against him alleging a “pattern of malfeasance” in Ogles’ financial dealings. Ogles’ attorney responded to a request for comment with a threat of legal action.
He’s also had to deal with chronic problems stemming from his campaign finance disclosures. He was required 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 self-loan of $320,000 that he had reported as cash to the FEC for two years was in fact a “pledge” for funding for which the need never arose.
“We set money 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 being said when my wife and I and decided that I was going to run for Congress, we set aside every penny we had to put into the race.”
Ogles’ personal finance disclosures do not reflect a savings or checking account under Ogles’ control with the amount he said he made available to his campaign. But his disclosure does include a mortgage loan initiated in January 2022 in the corresponding amount range. Maury County property records do not reflect any property purchase in January 2022 by Ogles. But he did buy a house adjacent to his family home in September, just after winning the primary. He later sold that home to his Congressional district director at 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 being frugal. It was a big commitment. We went all in. … We really felt that this was a God thing.”
Ogles has said publicly that he hired an outside campaign finance compliance consultant to go back “with a fine-toothed comb” and fix mistakes reported to the FEC.
In his social media post on Tuesday, Ogles said he would cooperate with the FBI and the FEC.
“I am confident all involved will conclude that the reporting discrepancies were based on honest mistakes, and nothing more,” he wrote.
Ogles is also currently facing an ethics complaint filed by the Campaign Legal Center in January requesting an investigation into discrepancies in the congressman’s financial disclosures, including the personal loan of $320,000.
Campaign Legal Center Ethics Director Kedric Payne on Tuesday said the watchdog group expected a possible FBI investigation since Ogles had significant discrepancies in his financial reports, but the swift action is surprising.
Payne, a former deputy chief counsel for the Office of Congressional Ethics, said such investigations usually take much longer.
“With a move this quickly, the evidence must be strong, especially to move in an election year,” he said. “It looks like what we complained about is the tip of the iceberg of what may be going on. It looks very serous.”
Ogles has also admitted that he was “mistaken” about what degree he received from Middle Tennessee State University, after scrutiny that he embellished his credentials and work experience during the 2022 primary.
Staff writer Kelly Puente contributed to this report.