A report issued Thursday recommends that the House Committee on Ethics “further review” allegations related to U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ past campaign filings.
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) notes in its report that the Republican representative for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District “omitted or misrepresented required information in his financial disclosure statements or [Federal Election Commission] candidate committee reports.”
“Accordingly, the Board recommends that the Committee further review the above allegation,” the OCE report states.
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The report also recommends that Ogles be subpoenaed by the House Committee on Ethics, noting that he was one of seven witnesses who did not cooperate with the OCE's review, “declining to provide requested information to the OCE.”
In addition to the 19-page referral, the OCE also released 140 pages of exhibits, which included text messages and emails, many of which are conversations centered on reporting from NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams, who first reported on the ongoing FBI probe into Ogles’ finances.
Williams has also reported on a string of controversies involving the congressman, including allegations of false statements about his professional and educational background and qualifications, unaccounted money meant for a children's burial garden, civil penalty payments for multiple campaign finance violations and the amended campaign finance reports. Some of those scandals led prominent Nashville Republican Bobby Joslin to call for Ogles’ resignation just months into his first term in 2023, equating him to disgraced and now-former New York Republican Rep. George Santos.
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The Jan. 2 OCE report also includes interviews with two unnamed witnesses who were both interviewed virtually on May 15. Though unnamed, witness No. 1 is revealed to be Ogles’ treasurer. According to Federal Election Commission records, Thomas Datwyler served as Ogles’ treasurer during the 2024 election.
As first reported by The Tennessean’s Vivian Jones, during the 2024 election cycle, some mailers sent to voters by the Andy Ogles for Congress principal campaign committee listed Lee Beaman as Ogles’ campaign treasurer, despite Beaman not serving in that role since 2022.
Witness No. 2 is revealed to be Ogles’ chief of staff and former campaign manager. According to Legistorm, a research and data website that publishes information on politicians and political staffers, Grant Henry has served as Ogles’ chief of staff since January 2023, and previously served as his campaign manager during the 2022 election.
According to the report, the other uncooperating witnesses include Ogles’ wife Monica; her parents, Hugh M. Williams Jr. and Charlene D. Williams; and Chain Bridge Bank, Evolve Bank and Trust, and First Horizon Bank.
The board unanimously approved the recommendation to the Committee on Ethics, and shortly after, the committee released the following statement:
“On August 2, 2024, the Committee received a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) regarding Representative Andy Ogles. … In order to gather additional information necessary to complete its review, the Committee will review the matter pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a). The Committee notes that the mere fact of conducting further review of a referral, and any mandatory disclosure of such further review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee.
“In order to comply with Committee Rule 7 regarding confidentiality, out of fairness to all respondents, and to assure the integrity of its work, the Committee will refrain from making further public statements on this matter pending completion of its initial review.”
Scene sister publication the Williamson Scene reached out to Ogles’ office for comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication.
