Tennessee GOP congressman lied about education: report

Tennessee politician Andy Ogles is the latest Republican congressman who appears to have been caught fabricating his academic record.

The self-proclaimed economist took only one introductory junior college course in economics, which he “barely passed,” according to a News Channel 5 Nashville investigation.

And he reportedly had to pass a “developmental-level Intermediate Algebra” course to qualify for a basic algebra class, where he managed a C grade from Middle Tennessee State University.

Rep. Ogles listed “policy and economics” as areas of study on his congressional biography. But the conservative lawmaker’s degree was in liberal studies, News Channel 5 Nashville discovered. His profile now reads “Andy obtained his degree from MTSU.”

According to an unearthed transcript attached to a 2009 resume, Ogles, 51, is no policy scholar, either. During the 17 years it took him to earn a degree, he reportedly received failing marks in courses including American Foreign Policy, U.S. National Security Policy, Political Theory and Problems in Government. He also flunked a course in “Child Drama Speech.” He finished with a 2.4 GPA.

The findings were revealed despite Ogles putting a block on his transcripts, which he said was to protect against identity theft.

Ogles apologized for his “misstatements” Sunday, according to News Channel 5, which said he claims to have realized he was a liberal studies major after looking over his transcripts. His poor grades, the congressman said, were due to an “interfamilial matter” that became a priority.

Former Tennessee Republican Party political director Randy Stamps told News Channel 5 he voted for Ogles’ Democratic opponent in November and still wonders what else Ogles might be saying that’s untrue.

“What it shows is the level of deception that he is willing to participate in in order to get elected to the United States Congress — and that’s disturbing,” Stamps said.

New York congressman George Santos lied repeatedly about his education — and nearly every other aspect of his life — before being elected in November. Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker was also caught greatly exaggerating his background, including the claim he finished in the top 1% of his class at the University of Georgia, where he did not graduate.

Ogles office has not returned a request for comment.