Cortney Merritts, husband of former Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush, faces federal wire fraud charges for allegedly stealing over $20,000 in pandemic relief funds. Prosecutors say Merritts lied about running businesses with fake employees and income to qualify for loans meant for struggling Americans during COVID-19. He then spent the money on himself instead of helping workers.
Merritts tried to cheat the system twice in 2020 by applying for disaster loans under different business names. He claimed his fake moving company had six employees and $32,000 in revenue. The government caught on when his second application looked almost identical to the first. But he didn’t stop there. In 2021, he scored a $20,832 paycheck protection loan by falsely claiming his business made $128,000.
The scheme worked until Merritts got greedy. He asked taxpayers to forgive the loan by lying again about having 10 employees. The small business agency believed him and wiped out the debt. Now he could face serious jail time if convicted. His lawyer says he’ll fight the charges, but the evidence looks bad.
This isn’t the first time money problems have followed the Bush family. Cori Bush paid her husband over $150,000 from campaign funds for “security services” while she was in Congress. Watchdogs questioned if this was legal, but ethics investigators dropped the case. Many voters saw it as shady – especially after she lost her 2024 primary amid controversy over her anti-Israel comments.
Fraud like this shows why conservatives pushed for tighter rules on pandemic spending. While small businesses crashed, scammers like Merritts lined their pockets. A recent House report found over $100 billion in COVID relief funds went to criminals and con artists. Republicans are working to claw back every stolen dollar, but much of it is already gone.
Progressives like Bush’s “Squad” allies pushed for unlimited government spending during the pandemic. Now regular folks are paying the price through inflation and wasted tax dollars. Cases like Merritts’ prove why fiscal responsibility matters. Handing out free money with no oversight was a recipe for disaster.
The Biden administration’s loose relief programs created a feeding frenzy for fraudsters. While Merritts faces justice, thousands more are still spending their ill-gotten gains. Conservatives argue this is why big government always fails – it can’t stop bad actors from abusing the system.
Merritts’ trial will be a test of whether Washington holds powerful insiders accountable. With his wife’s political career over, this case could finally bring consequences for a family used to playing fast and loose with other people’s money.
