Another Freshman GOP Rep. Admits Resume Misstatement As George Santos Faces Lying Scandal

Topline

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) admitted Monday that he made incorrect statements about his college degree, following questions about a slew of his purported accolades—making him the second freshman GOP House member to face lying allegations, as the party weighs punishing Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) for an extensive lying scandal.

U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-NY) (R) talks to Rep.-elect Andy Ogles (R-TN) in the House Chamber during … [+] the second day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 04, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Ogles said in a statement that he was “mistaken” when he previously stated he studied international relations at Middle Tennessee State University, and said he instead graduated from the school with a degree in liberal studies with minors in political science and English.

Ogles said he was made aware of his actual degree when he requested his transcript from the school amid questions about his background raised by a local TV station 10 days earlier, on Feb. 16.

Ogles explained that he initially studied international relations and political science, but dropped out “due to an interfamilial matter” before re-enrolling in the mid-2000s through the school’s distance learning program.

The report, by News Channel 5 in Nashville, also cast doubt on Ogles’ claims that he is an economist, former law enforcement officer and human trafficking expert, after reporting turned up several inconsistencies with his alleged credentials.

Ogles defended his work in economics to Fox News earlier this month, pointing to his roles at the conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity and with economist Arthur Laffer, along with professional certificates from Dartmouth and Vanderbilt business schools.

Forbes has reached out to Ogles’ office for comment.

Chief Critic

Randy Stamps, a former political director for the Tennessee Republican Party who now works as a policy and research counsel for the Tennessee House, told News Channel 5 the revelations about Ogles are “disturbing” and represent “a level of deception that he is willing to participate in in order to get elected to the United States Congress.”

Crucial Quote

“After completing the online courses, I was awarded a Bachelor of Science, and MTSU mailed me my degree a few months later,” Ogles said. “At the time, it was my understanding I had completed my course of study in Political Science and International Relations.”

Key Background

Ogles flipped Tennessee’s 5th cCongressional district, which includes portions of left-leaning Nashville, in the midterm election after the district was redrawn to favor a Republican, prompting incumbent Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper to announce his retirement. A former county mayor, Ogles campaigned on promises to take on “liberals” and “fire Nancy Pelosi,” while advocating for tighter border restrictions and a rollback of federal protections on gay marriage. News Channel 5 raised questions about Ogles’ resume earlier this month when it pulled records that appear to contradict his repeated claims that he is an economist who “studied foreign policy and the constitution,” despite stating on a resume and background check in 2009 that he studied international relations. Ogles also said in a pre-primary debate that he is a “former member of law enforcement [who] worked in international sex crimes, specifically child trafficking.” He was sworn in as a volunteer for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in 2009, but he lost the position two years later for failing to work the minimum required hours, make progress in training and attend meetings, according to a letter from the sheriff’s office obtained by News Channel 5. In addition, Ogles claims on his congressional website that he worked as a chief operating officer responsible for “overseeing operations and investments in 12 countries” at the anti-human trafficking nonprofit Abolition International, but people familiar with his work disputed the characterization, according to News Channel 5, which also obtained a copy of the group’s tax returns that show Ogles earned $4,000 for a part-time position.

Surprising Fact

Ogles was one of 20 far-right Republicans to vote against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in his hard-fought bid for the gavel in January. Ogles changed his vote in the 12th round to back McCarthy, who won the leadership position after 15 rounds of voting.

Tangent

The revelations about Ogles come as the GOP is dealing with a ballooning lying scandal surrounding another Republican freshman member of the House. Santos has admitted to lying that he obtained degrees from Baruch College and New York University and worked on Wall Street. Evidence suggests he has also lied about a slew of personal details and accolades, including that he is Jewish, that his mother survived the World Trade Center attacks, that four of his employees died in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando and that he founded an animal rescue charity, among other claims. Questions have also been raised about the source of Santos’ purported wealth and a number of irregularities on his campaign finance statements. He has refused to heed calls for him to resign from Congress from a coalition of his fellow GOP members, despite numerous probes into his conduct by the New York Attorney General’s Office, Nassau County Prosecutor’s office, Department of Justice and Federal Elections Commission.

What To Watch For

Whether Ogles could face a House Ethics Committee probe, a process that has embroiled Santos. McCarthy has said Santos will be removed from Congress if the Ethics process finds he has broken any laws. While it’s unclear what the scope of the House investigation into Santos entails, the initial complaint filed by Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman and Ritchie Torres (N.Y.) cites potential violations of campaign finance law, in addition to Santos’ fabrications about his personal, educational and professional backgrounds.