NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After facing scandal after scandal – and frequent comparisons to disgraced politician George Santos – Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles tried to open a new chapter Wednesday.
"What we're going to talk about is the weaponization of the Justice Department by the Biden administration,” the Maury County Republican began at a Washington, D.C., news conference where he was joined by some of the most conservative members of Congress.
Following the Trump administration's recent decision to return or destroy evidence that the FBI had seized in the fall of 2024, Ogles tried to cast himself as a victim.
But he ended up raising even more questions about a scandal that has long haunted him, involving thousands of dollars he collected from the public for a children’s burial garden that, our NewsChannel 5 investigation discovered, was never built.
As we first reported three years ago, Ogles had used the photo of a stillborn baby in 2014 for a GoFundMe that promised an elaborate burial garden – including a statue of Jesus – that would be called "Lincoln's Place."
He collected nearly $25,000 through the fundraising site.
Where gave money? How was it spent?
But at Wednesday's news conference, Ogles appeared to deny that any members of the public had given anything.
“When it comes to the burial ground, you know, 52% of the money in that fund came from myself and my wife, the rest of it came from my family,” he told reporters.
In fact, NewsChannel 5 Investigates had spoken to people who said they personally contributed to that fund – and they were not part of the congressman's family.
After our investigation raised questions about that burial garden fund in 2023, Ogles' office put out a news release in which he said the money was spent for "direct financial support for families covering the cost of funeral expenses and other needs for their children....”
UPDATE: We gave @AndyOgles a chance to tell us in advance what he did with the money.
— Phil Williams (@PhilNvestigates) March 15, 2023
He refused.
Now, he puts out a statement to @TheTNStar, portraying himself as a victim and saying people should believe him that he used the money to help other families.
He offers no proof. pic.twitter.com/lICNDVhtzl
Then, on Wednesday, he had a new variation on that story.
“We ultimately used that money instead of burial grounds to help primarily children with cancer,” the congressman told reporters.
Whether it was for burial expenses or children with cancer, Ogles has never actually provided documentation for any of his claims.
Questionable claims about FBI investigation
And what about the FBI investigation that resulted in his cell phone and email being seized?
"If they can willfully violate the Constitution and the Fourth Amendment and come after a member of Congress, then they can come after anyone," Ogles told reporters.
In fact, there is zero evidence that the Biden DOJ violated the Fourth Amendment, which says law enforcement must have a warrant signed by a judge based on probable cause that a crime has been committed.
Court records show the FBI managed to get two search warrants signed by a judge – one for Ogles' phone, the second one for his email.
There was also the congressman's claim that the Biden administration was looking for his communications with President Trump and other top Republicans.
"Our Constitution creates a wall of separation – the Speech and Debate Clause – and the Biden administration was willing to intentionally violate that clause to punish its adversaries,” he claimed.
In fact, filings in federal court show the government had agreed that the FBI would not look at material about legislative business. They even agreed not to look at anything until a judge produced a plan to separate material that might be protected.
The courts had not acted upon that motion for 19 months when the Trump DOJ agreed that it would return or destroy the evidence.
Among those appearing alongside Congressman Ogles was Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who claimed that he too had been the victim of DOJ weaponization when he headed Nashville's HCA. The hospital chain ultimately paid out $1.7 billion in penalties as part of what was called the largest health care fraud case in U.S. history.
As for the other scandals uncovered by NewsChannel 5 Investigates about Ogles – how he fabricated much of his resume, falsely claimed to have loaned his campaign $320,000 and reported campaign funds going to mysterious companies with bogus addresses – he claimed those questions lack any credibility.
"What they find doesn't matter because the story is already written. The truth doesn't matter,” he said.
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Do you have information that would help me with my investigation? Send me your tips: phil.williams@newschannel5.com
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January 9, 2024: A nonpartisan watchdog group has asked a federal ethics agency to investigate Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles over $1 million of discrepancies in financial disclosures he was required to file with the U.S. House. The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) repeatedly cites NewsChannel 5's reporting in the complaint that was filed Tuesday with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), comparing Ogles' conduct to disgraced New York Congressman George Santos.
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