Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) has come under scrutiny due to an alleged misuse of taxpayer-funded government resources. According to an ethics complaint filed by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust with the Office of Congressional Ethics, she used the resources to boost her campaign fundraising efforts.
The controversy arose when Bush shared a 30-second video clip on her verified government official Twitter account. The clip featured her disrupting House proceedings to criticize a bill introduced by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) as “racist.”
“Your bills are racist,” she yelled.
In a tweet addressing the video, she defended her reaction, saying, “I said what I said.”
I said what I said 🤷🏾♀️ https://t.co/ZTjfUfJ24K
— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) July 27, 2023
She went on to add other labels, including, “patriarchal, xenophobic, classist, homophobic, and transphobic.”
I didn’t get to finish.
Their bills are also sexist, patriarchal, xenophobic, classist, homophobic, and transphobic. https://t.co/n4zMstb474
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) July 28, 2023
FACT claimed that Bush not only engaged in unprofessional behavior but also utilized the video footage to campaign and fundraise. The complaint emphasized that sharing official House proceedings on a campaign’s social media account is a breach of ethics rules, and directly fundraising off of it further demonstrates disrespect for the law.
FACT’s complaint pointed out that using taxpayer-funded resources, such as official video footage, for political purposes, including soliciting campaign donations, is strictly prohibited under House ethics rules.
Regardless of how the material was obtained or reposted, lawmakers are forbidden from using any photographs or videos taken on the House floor for political gain. Thus, FACT deemed it “irrelevant” that Bush shared the footage from CSPAN.
The conservative watchdog group insisted that Bush’s alleged violation was clear and undeniable, stating that no facts could excuse her actions.
FACT’s executive director, Kendra Arnold, expressed concern over the alleged misuse of official resources for political purposes, stating that it displays a flagrant disregard for the law.
“These laws and ethics rules are in place to maintain the integrity of official proceedings, so members cannot leverage them for political advantage,” Arnold asserted, urging a swift investigation and proper penalty.
