Tipsheet

Cori Bush's Campaign Continues to Be in Deep Trouble

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  February 23, 2024 8:00 AM

Last week, we covered how a Remington Research poll from earlier this month showed that Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) is in trouble ahead of the August primary as she trails her primary challenger, prosecutor Wesley Bell, by 22 points. The New York Post, which also covered that poll last week, is now reporting on how she's running into trouble with her fundraising numbers as well.

Citing campaign finance filings, the report pointed out how Bush had just $215,571.36 cash on hand for the period of October 1,2023-December 31, 2023, while Bell had $408,779.91 cash on hand for that same time period.                    

In addition to dealing with bad polls and bad fundraising numbers, Bush also acknowledged last month that she is under investigation by the Department of Justice for her misuse of funds to pay for private security.

The New York Post details how finance reports mention people paid for under the guise of security as well:

Reports have noted that Bush spent $1,416 from her Member Representational Allowance, which is provided by US taxpayers, to pay for “security services.”

In 2022, Bush’s campaign paid $60,000 for protection to Cortney Merritts, who did not possess a private security license, according to a complaint later filed with the House Office of Congressional Ethics.

The Missouri congresswoman married Merritts the following year, and he has not received payments for “security services” since April 2023, though he still receives $5,000 per month in wages, according to campaign finance filings.

Under Federal Election Commission rules, political campaigns can only make payments to family members of candidates for “bona fide” services.

A man named Joseph Walter received the same $5,000 in monthly payments for “security services” as of the 2023 fourth quarter filings.

An ex-Black Panther named Nathaniel Davis has also received roughly $137,000 in total from Bush’s campaign since 2020 before being left off the third and fourth quarter reports from last year.

The St. Louis-based firm PEACE Security provided the same services for the far-left representative at a cost of $225,000, other filings show.

During her first two years in office, Bush spent almost $500,000 in all on her personal protection.

Bush is also under fire for anti-Israel stance, as is the case with the Squad as a whole, with many other members also facing primary challengers. 

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The New York Post talks about "the clearest contrast" between Bush and Bell having to do with their positions on Israel, especially since the October 7 terrorist attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel last year. Bell mentioned his support for our ally in the Middle East during his October 30 press conference last year when he announced his campaign. 

Like other members of the Squad, Bush has had a problematic record when it comes to not just supporting Israel, but also condemning Hamas. Just a few weeks ago, she and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) were the only two members to vote against a bill that would ban Hamas terrorists from the United States. 

Bell recently earned the endorsement from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), while Bush was tagged in a post from group that expressed outrage that she has called for a ceasefire, even though that would only benefit Hamas. AIPAC was reposting a lengthy and thread shining new light on the rapes committed by Hamas terrorists against Israeli women and girls. Male and female hostages that Hamas took were also targeted with sexual assault. 

Bush came out against the group in a quoted repost that mentioned being "a survivor of rape" and claimed that AIPAC was "exploiting rape." Bush also doubled down on her demand for a ceasefire.

This seems to be a common talking point about Squad members, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also posted a similar response from her X account.

Bush, and other members of the Squad, have been demanding a ceasefire and speaking out against Israel since just days after the October 7 attack. In addition to the above response to AIPAC, she's been issuing several pro-ceasefire and anti-Israel posts and reposts in recent days, from both of her accounts. 

This includes reposts of anti-Zionist, far-left groups like IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace, which were responsible for a violent and illegal pro-Hamas protest at the Cannon House building last October.