Republican Tennessee Rep. Andy Orgles was accused on Thursday of fabricating his background during his campaign in 2022.
WTVF reported that newly-elected Ogles misrepresented himself as an economist, police officer, and international sex crimes expert.
Ogles has bragged about his experience “as an economist” in multiple interviews and at his first meeting as a member of the House Financial Services Committee. His congressional biography also claims that he “studied policy and economics” at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).
However, WTVF uncovered that Ogles has never worked as an economist. His 2009 resume shows that he majored in international relations and minored in psychology and English while at MTSU.
Further background checks also revealed that he held an administrative role at the Tennessee-based Laffer Center and didn’t write a single report on public policy or economics.
According to the news outlet, his repeated claims of being a “former member of law enforcement” with “firsthand experience” tackling human trafficking also seem to be embellishments.
In response to WTVF’s report, Ogle’s office released a statement to the New York Post, calling the expose “an attempt by the liberal media to make something out of nothing.”
“It’s a simple case of condensing a resume for the sake of brevity on the campaign trail, and partisan hacks are trying to turn it into a headline for clicks,” the statement read. “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 continued.
This comes as fellow GOP New York Rep. George Santos is also facing similar scrutiny from lawmakers after reports revealed he had fabricated much of his background during his 2022 campaign, in which he defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman.
Santos has reportedly recused himself from multiple committee assignments since then. The Washington Post reported late last month that he told Republican colleagues that he would step down as he’d become a “distraction” for his party.
