Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) has reportedly married a man who worked on her campaign as a security guard.
KSDK reported Bush married the man during a private ceremony in St. Louis last weekend.
According to marriage records filed with the St. Louis Recorder of Deeds, Bush signed the marriage license with Cortney Merritts on February 11.
Merritts is a veteran of the U.S. Army and was hired by Bush’s campaign for a position as security guard.
Campaign finance records show Merritts was paid by Bush’s campaign to the tune of $62,359 in direct payments last year.
KSDK noted the majority of payments were listed as security services.
The records show the amount for cash reimbursements totaled $2,359.
It was reported the first direct campaign payments were made out to Merritts in 2022 after the beginning of their relationship.
The report also mentions how Bush’s campaign spent a whopping $627,088 in expenses related to security since August 2020.
House Ethics Rules make it clear that “campaign funds are to be used for bona fide campaign or political purposes only.”
The rules explain, “Campaign funds are not to be used to enhance a Member’s lifestyle, or to pay a Member’s personal obligations.”
They continue, “Members have wide discretion in determining what constitutes a bona fide campaign or political purpose to which campaign funds and resources may be devoted, but Members have no discretion whatsoever to convert campaign funds to personal use.”
Additionally, the outlet noted Bush spent the majority of funding for security to hire a St. Louis-based firm, citing campaign finance records.
However, the firm’s relationship with her now-husband remains unknown.
Bush’s chief of staff, Abbas Alawieh, took to Twitter on Monday to issue a statement on the marriage.
“Those who know the Congresswoman personally and have followed her inspiring story know that she is a survivor of multiple forms of violence, including intimate partner violence,” Alawieh wrote.
He added, “That she has married someone who supports her in all that she does, including as Representative of the incredible people of St. Louis, is cause for great celebration.”
That she has married someone who supports her in all that she does, including as Representative of the incredible people of St. Louis, is cause for great celebration. (4/5)
— Abbas Alawieh (@AZAlawieh) February 27, 2023
Bush has previously expressed her support for the “defund the police” movement.
During an appearance on CNN last year, Bush confirmed her support for the movement after host Don Lemon asked if it was harmful for Democrats.
“[T]here is no data that actually shows that saying ‘defund the police’ cost actual elections,” she said.
Lemon then asked, “If you could do it again, would you still double down or use that slogan, ‘defund the police?’”
She replied, “Absolutely.”
