Overview

• Rep. Cori Bush's campaign made additional payments of $17,500 to her husband, Cortney Merritts, for 'wage expense' in the last quarter, bringing the total to approximately $122,710 over two years.
• The Justice Department and other entities are investigating the payments, which were initially described as 'security services' but later changed to 'wage expense'.
• Bush has defended the payments, stating they were for bona fide security services provided by her husband, who has extensive experience but lacks a current private security license.
• Critics and watchdog groups have raised concerns about the legality and ethics of the payments, leading to multiple investigations.
• Bush is facing a primary challenge for her House seat in 2024 amid the ongoing controversy.