Representative Cori Bush, a progressive Democrat from Missouri and a prominent member of "The Squad," has faced significant attention and criticism over her decision to hire her husband, Cortney Merritts, as part of her security team, using campaign funds to pay him for his services. This arrangement, which began before the couple married in February 2023, has sparked multiple investigations, ignited debates over ethics and hypocrisy, and raised questions about the intersection of personal relationships and political accountability.
The Background: A Need for Security
Cori Bush, who represents Missouri’s 1st Congressional District encompassing St. Louis, rose to national prominence as a Black Lives Matter activist before her election to Congress in 2020. Since taking office, she has been vocal about the threats to her safety, citing "relentless" death threats and attempts on her life that began even before her swearing-in. As a rank-and-file member of Congress, Bush is not entitled to personal protection from the House, unlike leadership positions that receive Capitol Police details. To address this, she turned to her campaign funds—a permissible practice under House ethics rules—to retain security services.
Bush’s security spending has been substantial. Following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, she spent $338,193 on security in roughly two years, more than any other House member during that period, according to The New York Times. Over time, her campaign has disbursed over $600,000 on security-related expenses, including payments to private firms like PEACE Security and individuals such as her now-husband, Cortney Merritts.
Hiring Cortney Merritts: The Details
Cortney Merritts, a U.S. Army veteran, began receiving payments from Bush’s campaign in January 2022, initially listed as compensation for "security services." By the time of their marriage in February 2023, Merritts had already been paid $62,359, according to campaign finance records reviewed by outlets like Fox News and KSDK. Post-marriage, the payments continued, with Merritts pocketing $30,000 in the first half of 2023 alone and an additional $15,000 in the first quarter of 2024, bringing his total earnings to over $135,000 by mid-2024. Notably, the campaign reclassified these payments from "security services" to "wage expenses" starting in April 2023, a shift that has drawn further scrutiny.
Bush has defended the arrangement, emphasizing Merritts’ qualifications and cost-effectiveness. In a January 2024 statement, she noted that she retained her husband "because he has extensive experience in this area, and is able to provide the necessary services at or below a fair market rate." She elaborated on MSNBC’s The ReidOut in February 2024, explaining that unreliable security staff—such as guards who failed to show up or slept on the job—prompted Merritts to step in, initially as a volunteer, before being formally added to the payroll. Bush highlighted his military background, including service as an air assault soldier in the 101st Airborne, as evidence of his capability.
The Controversy: Ethics, Licensing, and Hypocrisy
The decision to hire Merritts has fueled several points of contention. First, questions arose about his qualifications. Reports from Fox News and Breitbart News in early 2023 revealed that Merritts did not hold a private security license in St. Louis or Washington, D.C., despite being paid for such services. While Bush insists his experience justifies the role, critics argue this lack of formal licensing undermines the legitimacy of the payments.
Second, the arrangement has triggered ethical concerns. House ethics rules allow campaign funds to pay family members for "bona fide services" as long as the compensation does not exceed fair market value—a standard Bush claims to meet. However, watchdog groups like the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed complaints with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in 2023, alleging potential misuse of funds. The complaints pointed to Merritts’ close personal relationship with Bush, the significant sums paid to him alongside payments to other security providers (like $225,000 to PEACE Security in 2022), and the licensing issue as red flags warranting investigation.
Finally, Bush’s vocal support for the "defund the police" movement has led to accusations of hypocrisy. Critics, including Republican lawmakers like Rep. Byron Donalds and conservative media outlets, have seized on her security spending—over half a million dollars since 2019—as contradictory to her public stance. In a 2021 CBS News interview, Bush countered such critiques sharply: "They would rather I die? … I have private security because my body is worth being on this planet right now." She argued that personal safety and systemic police reform are separate issues, a position her supporters echo but detractors dismiss.
Investigations and Fallout
The controversy escalated in January 2024 when Bush confirmed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had launched an investigation into her campaign’s security spending, including the payments to Merritts. The probe, which involved subpoenas to campaign staff, followed earlier reviews by the FEC and the House Committee on Ethics. Bush has maintained her innocence, asserting that she has "not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services" and is "fully cooperating" with all inquiries. She also pointed to a prior Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) investigation in 2023, which found no wrongdoing and unanimously dismissed the case, as evidence of her compliance.
Despite this clearance, the DOJ investigation persists as of March 2025, with no public resolution yet. Meanwhile, Merritts faces his own legal troubles: in March 2025, he was indicted on wire fraud charges related to allegedly fraudulent applications for over $20,000 in COVID-19 relief loans in 2020 and 2021, a case unrelated to his security work but adding to the couple’s public woes.
Political and Public Reaction
The issue has polarized opinions. Supporters, including House Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries, have defended Bush’s right to a presumption of innocence and her need for protection amid rising threats to lawmakers—over 8,000 investigated by Capitol Police in 2023 alone. Critics, including Rep. Troy Nehls, who called Merritts a "thug" in a 2024 CNN clip, and Rep. Tim Burchett, who told DailyMail.com the DOJ should "throw the book at her," argue the payments reflect corruption or entitlement.
Bush’s security spending also became a liability in her 2024 re-election campaign. Facing a strong primary challenge from Wesley Bell, a progressive prosecutor backed by pro-Israel groups like AIPAC, she lost her seat in August 2024. While her stance on Israel was a key campaign issue, the ongoing investigations and legal fees—nearing $100,000 in early 2024—likely weakened her position.
Conclusion: A Complex Legacy
Cori Bush’s decision to hire her husband for security underscores the challenges lawmakers face in balancing personal safety, public perception, and legal accountability. For her, it was a pragmatic choice rooted in necessity and trust; for critics, it’s a symbol of ethical overreach and political contradiction. As investigations continue and Merritts’ legal case unfolds, the full ramifications remain unclear. What is certain is that this chapter has left a lasting mark on Bush’s tenure, highlighting the fraught intersection of personal and political life in an era of heightened scrutiny and division.