On Tuesday, The Gateway Pundit reported that Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), a staunch supporter of the MAGA movement, was targeted by federal authorities just days after securing a hard-fought victory in the Republican primary against a RINO challenger and after attempting to impeach Kamala Harris.
Rep. Ogles has been open about the issues his campaign faced with initial financial filings. He admitted that a reported $320,000 personal loan to his campaign, listed in his financial disclosure forms, was an honest mistake.
This admission came to light in May when Ogles amended his disclosure forms to accurately reflect that he had only transferred $20,000 to his campaign.
The raid was first reported by local outlet WTVF on Tuesday.
The news outlet reported:
Details of exactly what areas were authorized to be searched remain murky, although individuals familiar with such investigations suggested the warrant may have been limited to Ogles’ electronic devices.
A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment, referring questions about Ogles to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Pursuant to department policy, we have no comment,” U.S. Attorney spokesperson Mark Wildasin said in an email to NewsChannel 5.
Law enforcement sources in Maury County, where Ogles’ home is located, were not notified about any searches, although one source was told that the FBI had executed a search warrant somewhere in the county in recent days.
Neighbors in the sparsely populated rural area told NewsChannel 5 Investigates that they had not seen any unusual activity around the congressman’s home.
In response to the unfolding situation, Rep. Ogles issued a statement on Wednesday:
“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. It is my understanding that they are investigating the same well-known facts surrounding these filings. 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
The timing of the raid, coming so soon after his primary win on August 1, has raised eyebrows and sparked allegations of political persecution.
According to Department of Justice guidelines, overt investigative actions against political candidates are generally prohibited within 60 days of an election.
Many conservatives see this as yet another example of the weaponization of federal agencies against those who dare to challenge the establishment.
According to the Tennessee Star, the U.S. attorney who oversaw the FBI search warrant served last Friday previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney under Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.
The news outlet reported:
Henry Leventis, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee who oversaw the FBI search warrant served on Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) last Friday, previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney under special prosecutor Jack Smith.
[…]
Prior to being nominated by President Joe Biden to become the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee on July 28, 2022, biographical information provided by the Department of Justices (DOJ) reveals Leventis worked as the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the same district from 2015 to 2020.
Leventis was already a junior staff member to Smith during this time, as a DOJ press release reveals Smith began serving as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2015.
Smith (pictured above, left) received a brief promotion in 2017, when he was appointed to become the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee just two months after former President Donald Trump entered the White House on January 20.
This means Smith was Leventis’ boss from March 2017 until September 2017, when Smith left the DOJ.
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