Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., married Cortney Merritts, an Army veteran who worked for her campaign as a security guard, in a private ceremony last weekend, KSDK in St. Louis reported.
Fox 2 in St. Louis reported that the relationship began before Bush was sworn in and that Merritts no longer works in her office.
Merritts received about $62,000 from Bush's campaign in 2022, which the St. Louis Dispatch noted appears to be allowed by Federal Election Commission rules, since "campaign funds may be used to make salary payments to members of the candidate's family," if that family member provides a "bona fide service" and those payments "reflect the fair market value."
Abbas Alawieh, Bush's chief of staff, said in a statement on Monday: "With heartfelt congratulations, I am happy to confirm that Congresswoman Cori Bush married the love of her life, Cortney Merritts, this month. Mr. Merritts, a veteran of the U.S. Army and a security professional, has been Congresswoman Bush's partner since before her Congressional tenure and is not employed by her Congressional office. Our team has come to know and appreciate Mr. Merritts as a loving and caring Congressional spouse.
"Those who know the Congresswoman personally and have followed her inspiring story know that she is a survivor of multiple forms of violence, including intimate partner violence. That she has married someone who supports her in all that she does, including as Representative of the incredible people of St. Louis, is cause for great celebration. Our team hopes that everyone will join us in celebrating the Congresswoman during this joyous time while respecting her privacy as she and her husband begin this new chapter together."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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