'Raises big questions': Watchdog group wants investigation into GOP rep over mysterious $320K loan

Despite not even reporting a personal savings account in his financial disclosure forms, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tennessee) was able to loan his 2022 campaign $320,000.

Tennessee's Newschannel 5 reported that Ogles has also not disclosed assets of more than $1,000. His legally required personal financial disclosure form only shows an investment property with no income generated, and three retirement accounts between the congressman and his wife. That lack of disclosure has led the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) — an ethics watchdog group — to call for further inquiries into Ogles' finances.

"It definitely raises big questions as to where that money came from," CLC spokeswoman Danielle Caputo said. "How was he able to loan it because currently his financial disclosure reports are not showing that sort of wealth that he could easily lend that money."

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According to Newschannel 5, this isn't the first issue Ogles has had with financial transparency. While Ogles kicked off his campaign with an announcement that he had raised nearly half a million dollars in his bid to represent Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, a campaign fundraising report showed that he actually only raised roughly half that amount. The outlet made comparisons between Ogles and embattled Rep. George Santos (R-New York), who has been indicted for campaign finance fraud and could be expelled from Congress as soon as this week.

The outlet also reported that in 2022, he missed several campaign finance filing deadlines, with one filing even being a week late. Ogles attributed the delay to difficulties obtaining bank records. That claim prompted skepticism from a local conservative radio host.

"You're kidding me! That's not a credible statement," conservative influencer Michael Patrick Leahy said at the time. "Issues retrieving bank statements? I mean, this is 2022."

Newschannel 5 additionally pointed out that Ogles still has not answered questions as to how the $25,000 raised via a crowdfunding campaign was spent. After Ogles and his wife announced the stillborn death of their child, he posted a campaign on GoFundMe for a child burial garden. However, the garden was never built, and at least one donor has asked for their money to be returned.

READ MORE: Ethics Committee report on George Santos released: 'Overwhelming evidence' of misconduct