When you can’t even make yourself look good in a softball interview with Joy Reid, you know you have image problems.
Especially if you’re an entrenched Democrat like Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, who is currently under investigation by the Department of Justice for allegations of illegally spending public funds for private purposes, specifically spending astronomical amounts of money on her personal security.
Knowing Reid’s political stance, this should’ve been an easy defense for Bush — so how does she end up coming off so badly?
First, let’s pull back and examine what exactly Bush said to defend herself.
.@CoriBush joins @JoyAnnReid on the DOJ investigating her campaign’s spending on security services despite the independent Office of Congressional Ethics clearing the matter.
Watch more via @TheReidOut: https://t.co/zU5cQEygc4 pic.twitter.com/N2tj59z4Ve
— The ReidOut (@thereidout) February 1, 2024
In a clip shared on Reid’s X account, Reid contended that Bush’s use of public funds for private purposes was cleared by the Independent Office of Congressional Ethics before asking about Bush’s husband, Cortney Merritts, who she hired for her personal security and married after the conclusion of her re-election campaign (despite his dubious qualifications).
One of the major reasons for this investigation is the astronomical amount of money she paid to Merritts, despite him not holding a security license since 2012.
Do you believe a large percentage of Congress is corrupt?
In her words, Bush said, “What was happening, there were a lot of issues with us retaining just good staff.”
Seemingly unaware of the implications of her statement, she continued, saying, “We couldn’t pay the big costs for security like some of my colleagues are able to do. And so we went with what we could afford, and it worked out for a while, but then we started having call-offs, people just not showing up to work, people sleeping on the job, and so iftwas very hard for me to have security when it was unreliable.”
Oh, is that it? Your staff was less reliable than pot smokers working at Wendy’s, so you were simply forced to pay your boyfriend, who legally was not supposed to be working security with no license, over $60,000 of government money?
She tried to make his presence in her staff seem organic, claiming he “volunteered” and could effortlessly command her feckless staff, but her explanation failed to convince anyone besides herself and Reid.
Thankfully, it seems most of the good folks on X saw right through her flimsy excuses.
One user remarked simply, “No one is believing nothing she says,” while another commented, “Joy Reid will throw softball questions at Cori Bush and of course portray her as a ‘victim’ in DOJ’s investigation. Yawn.”
No one is believing nothing she says
— Summer 🎗 (@Duchess_Summer) February 1, 2024
Joy Reid will throw softball questions at Cori Bush and of course portray her as a ‘victim’ in DOJ’s investigation. Yawn.
— Bob Bro (@BobBron1) February 1, 2024
Others made sure to point out Bush’s support of Hamas, as well as Reid’s recent off-camera remark that will probably haunt her for the rest of the career.
Cori Bush voted against a bill to ban Hamas terrorists from the US.
— Anthony Marchesano (@_Spasmolytic_) February 1, 2024
Your show is unwatchable garbage. I’m a Dem but your off camera remark and Cori Bush’s behavior are disgusting.
— Curmudgeonly (@IndoTweet1) February 1, 2024
Clearly, then, Bush’s lame excuses are fooling almost no one; in fact, they just makes her look that much more incompetent.
She wasn’t dealing with teenagers at the local McDonald’s, this was a U.S. congresswoman’s office.
A politician’s office should demand the highest level of professionalism. If Bush’s workers were that bad, it was her fault for hiring them.
Is this really the best Bush can do when facing a DOJ investigation? Blame-shift so thoroughly she makes herself look utterly incompetent.
At least she admitted what most of us already knew — even if she didn’t realize it.
