Another Republican congressman is facing accusations of embellishing his professional experience and résumé just weeks after reports surfaced concerning Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.
According to a Thursday report from WTVF, a local Nashville CBS affiliate, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., repeatedly misrepresented himself as “an economist,” boasted about nearly nonexistent experience in law enforcement, including handling “international sex crimes,” and exaggerated his role working for a nonprofit combating human trafficking.
Ogles’ office told Fox News Digital that the discrepancies are due to “condensing his résumé” while on the campaign trail, and that the reported accusations are fueled by political bias. Republicans are facing increased scrutiny after revelations that Santos falsified details of his life beyond just his education credentials.
WTVF reported instances in which Ogles claimed to be an economist, and noted that he also claims in his congressional bio to have studied “policy and economics” at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). The outlet reported, however, that Ogles has never worked as an economist, and that a 2009 résumé and a background check indicate that he studied international relations, psychology and English while at MTSU.
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Rep.-elect Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, holds the No. 1 pick coin during the biennial office lottery on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 2, 2022. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
WTVF stated that MTSU would not confirm Ogles’ degree, “citing a provision of federal law that allows students to block the release of their educational credentials,” but that Ogles provided an image of his 2007 Bachelor of Science degree from the school, which doesn’t state what he actually majored in.
Ogles’ office told Fox News, however, that he spent time “developing his experience in economic and tax policies” while working at the conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, as well as with economist Arthur Laffer.
Additionally, WTFV reported that Ogles previously worked in what appears to be an administrative role as executive director at the Laffer Center for Supply-Side Economics, but that no economic reports from the institution authored by him could be found on its website.
The report said Ogles claimed to have become “a nationally recognized expert on tax policy and healthcare, having been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Investor’s Business Daily” while working at the Laffer Center, but that a search of those sites showed just three columns he wrote while a lobbyist for Americans for Prosperity before he worked at the center, and none of which cited him as an expert in economics.
On Ogles’ law enforcement claims, the report noted that during his race last year, he referred to himself during a debate as “a former member of law enforcement, worked in international sex crimes, specifically child trafficking….,” along with other examples of him using similar language.
Rep.-elect Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., casts his vote in the House Chamber during the fourth day of elections for speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2023. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
WTVF’s investigation found that Ogles was actually sworn in as a volunteer reserve deputy with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in 2009, but lost the position two years later for failing to meet training and meeting attendance standards.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department told WTVF, “There is nothing in Mr. Ogles’ training or personnel file that indicates he had any involvement in ‘international sex trafficking’ in his capacity as a reserve deputy.”
According to the report, Ogles did do work for Abolition International, a nonprofit working to end human sex trafficking and modern-day slavery, as the group’s chief operating officer, claiming he was “heavily involved in the fight against human trafficking.”
WTVF found in the group’s tax records that he worked only part-time for the group, making just $4,000 working 20 hours per week for a portion of the year 2011, and that an archived version of the group’s website showed its work consisted of making grants to “holistic ministries” in just a handful of countries.
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From left: U.S. Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.; Rep.-elect George Santos, R-N,Y.; and Rep.-elect Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., talk in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Ogles, a freshman member of Congress, was first elected in the 2022 midterm elections, and quickly gained name recognition as one of the few Republican holdouts seeking to derail now-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ascension into the role last month.
When reached for comment, Ogles’ office attributed WTVF’s report as “an attempt by the liberal media to make something out of nothing.”
“It’s a simple case of condensing a résumé for the sake of brevity on the campaign trail, and partisan hacks are trying to turn it into a headline for clicks,” a spokesperson for Ogles said in a statement.
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“Congressman Ogles is proud of the time he spent developing his experience in economic and tax policies with well-known economist Dr. Arthur Laffer and Americans for Prosperity. He was honored to serve as a reserve deputy for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department and as the Chief Operating Officer for Abolition International, which provided resources and operational support to anti-human trafficking efforts worldwide,” it added.
